Thirunakshatram of Thiruvazhmozhi Pillai on 11 June

Thiruvazhmozhi Pillai

AMSAM           Varadaraja Perumal

ACHARYA    Pillai Lokacharyar, Kurakulotthama Dasar, ThirukkaNNangudi                  piLLai (for thiruvAimozhi essence),  ViLanchOlai piLLai                          (for Rahasya arthams), nAlUr AchAn piLLai (for Thiruvazhmozhi                   Eedu vyakhyanam)

SISHYAS    Azhagiya maNavALa mAmunigaL, satagOpa jIyar                                                    (bhavishyadhAcAryan sannidhi), thathvEsa jIyar, etc

BIRTH MONTH     Vaikasi

BIRTH STAR             Visakam

PLACE OF DEATH     Alwar thirunagari

PARENTS     Mother disciple of Pillai Lokacharya

PLACE OF BIRTH     Alwar Thirunagari, raised at Kunthagai, near Madurai

OTHER NAMES     Satagopa dasar, thirumalai azhwar, Sri sailesar , kAdu                          vetti guru @ Alwarthirunagari

WORKS             PeriyAzhwAr thirumozhi svApadhEsam

LINKS

https://en-gb.facebook.com/sriadhikesavaperumalpeyalwartemple/posts/501737433230145         

http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia/ramanuja/archives/nov05/msg00134.html                       

http://guruparamparai.wordpress.com/2012/09/19/thiruvaimozhi-pillai/                        

http://ramanujadasan.wordpress.com/tag/thiruvaimozhi-pillai/                                

https://sreevaishnavam.wordpress.com/category/acharya/thiruvaimozhi-pillai/                 

https://srivaishnavasri.wordpress.com/tag/thiruvaimozhi-pillai/                             

Thirunakshatram of Swami Alwar ThiruVaranga Perumal Araiyar on 13 JUne

Alwar ThiruVaranga Perumal Araiyar

ACHARYA Alavandar, Manakkal Nambi

SISHYA         Ramanuja

YEAR OF BIRTH 1917

BIRTH MONTH Vaikasi

BIRTH STAR         Kettai

PARENTS Alavandar & Sriranga Nachiyar

PLACE OF BIRTH Srirangam

NAME AT BIRTH Varangar

WORKS        Taught abhinaya & music for Divya Prabandham to Ramanuja

LINKS

http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/dec97/0124.html                                  

http://www.tirumala.org/sapthagiri/042003/yatiraja.htm                                      

http://srikrishnarpanam.blogspot.in/2013/10/sri-ramanuja-vaibhavam-key-notes.html

http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/dec97/0124.html                                    

Thirunakshatram of Parasara Bhattar on 12 June

Parasara Bhattar

ACHARYA                 Embar

SISHYA                                          Nanjeeyar, Kooranarayana Jeeyar
YEAR OF BIRTH                 1062

LIFE SPAN                         54

BIRTH MONTH                 Vaikasi

BIRTH STAR /NAKSHATRAM Anusham

YEAR OF DEATH                  1116

PLACE OF BIRTH          Srirangam

PARENTS                  Koorathazhwan & Andalamma

PLACE OF DEATH          Srirangam

NAME AT BIRTH          Parasara

GOTHRAM                 Haritha

WORKS                         Ashtasloki, Bhagavad Guna Darpanam, Sri Ranganatha                                                             Sthoram, Srirangaraja stavam, Guna Ratna kosham, and a commentary                                 of Thirunedunthandakam, Kaisikamahatmya: Commentary on                                                         Kaisikapurana,  Maivannanarungunji,   Tirumanjana Kavi,  
LINKS
http://yathirajapadhuka.blogspot.in/2013/05/vaikasi-anusham.html#uds-search-results                                   

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parasara_Bhattar                                                          

http://www.srivaishnava.org/sva/bhattar.htm                                        

http://guruparamparai.wordpress.com/2012/09/11/parasara-bhattar/                            

http://www.ahobilamutt.org/us/acharya/lineage/lineage.asp?file=08-bhat.inc                  

http://www.sadagopan.org/acharyans/ac10.htm

http://anudinam.org/2012/12/11/sri-parasara-bhattar-service-personified/

SHORT NOTE ON PARASARA BHATTAR

He is the son of Koorathazwan who was born by the blessings of Ranga. He was born in Srirangam in the Shubhakruta varsham in the year 1062 AD in the month of Vaikashi and star Anusham. As a baby itself, he grew as a abhimana putran  for Sriranganathan and Sriranganachiyar inside the temple garba griham or sanctum sanctorum. While he was taking him to Udayavar for his blessings as a new born, Embar kept chanting the dwayam as a protective shield in his ear. Extremely  glad, Udayavar, ordered that Embar should therefore be his acharya from here on. Emperumanar named him as Parasar. He was a great scholar. Even at a very young age, he would surprise everyone with his intelligence and smartness. He was an expert  in both Sanskrit and Tamil. He had the full blessings and kataksham of Ramanuja on him and was also the fit person to receive it. It was at Ramanuja’s behest that he fought a verbal debate with a great vedanti living in Melkote and brought him into the fold of Vishishtadwaita siddhantam. He also then did pancha samaskara etc for him. He later became the famous acharya Nanjeeyar.

Parasara Bhattar wrote many commentaries. Let us first list outhis Sanskrit works. They are :- Ashtasloki (About the three rahasyas), Bhagavad Gunadarpanam (Detailed meaning of Vishnu Sahasranama), Sri Gunaratnakosham  (A commentary on the greatness and qualities of Piratti),   Srirangaraja Stavam (A stotram praising Lord Ranganatha),Sri Ranganatha Ashtakam,   Tattva Ratnakaram (A commentary on the tattvas), Lakshmi Kalyanam (A drama detailing the Vishishtadwaita siddhantam), Shubhalopanishta Vivaranam and many other individual slokas. One of these is a conversation between Perumal and Jivatma. Other than these he has written a Tamil work called as  Kaisika Puranam. He has given special deeper meanings to pasurams in the Divya Prabandham. We can experience them in the Eedu Vyakhyanam.

Emperumanar appointed him to take care of the temple administration after him. Sri Vedanta Desikan too has used many of his works as references in his commentaries.

It is well known  that though being one of the 74 simhasanadipatis, dearly respected by Sri Ramanuja and as a disciple of Embar, Sri Parasara Bhattar, while taking care of the temple administration at Srrangam continued to give kalakshepams on Sri Bhashyam and Bhagavad Vishayam. Sri Parasara Bhattar was one of the four poorvacharyas who established their giant intellect capacities at a very young age. (The other three are Sri Alavandar, Sri Ramanujar, and Sri Vedanta Desikan). He was the darling child of Sri Ranganathan and SriRanganayaki Thayar born and raised by their blessings. He had the tremendous capacity to bring out amazing hidden meanings for the Arulicheyal of the alwars. There is mention of Bhattar’s temple administration in many places in the Eedu. It is on the basis of his explanations that his disciple Nanjeeyar wrote the commentary for the Divya Prabandhams.

Thirunakshatram of Swami Nammazhwar on 11 June

Namazhwar

AMSAM  Vishwaksenar

ACHARYA  Vishwaksena

SISHYA Nathamuni, Madhurakavi

YEAR OF BIRTH 550 AD

LIFE SPAN 32 YEARS

BIRTH MONTH Vaikasi

BIRTH STAR / NAKSHATRAM Visakam

YEAR OF DEATH 582 AD

PLACE OF BIRTH Thirukurugur (Alwar Thirunagari)

PARENTS Kari & Udayanangai

OTHER NAMES Sadagopan, Sadaari, Paraankusun, Maaran, Vakulaa Baranan, Kurugaiyar-kone

SPOUSE  none

WORKS Thiruviruttam, Thiruvasiriyam, Periya Thiruvandhadhi, &  Thiruvaimozhi

LINKS

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nammalvar                                                 

http://www.divyadesam.com/alwars/namm-alwar.shtml                                           

http://www.harekrishnablog.com/festival-a-reports/72-vaishnava-acharyas/1439-the-appearance-of-nammalwar-13                                              

http://sriramanujar.tripod.com/namm.html                               

https://vaadinen.wordpress.com/tag/nammalwar/                                           

http://azhwar.org/documents/The_Glory_of_Sri_NAMMAZHWAR.pdf                                 

https://en-gb.facebook.com/sriadhikesavaperumalpeyalwartemple/posts/501737433230145

-- 
Devika

Faith is not believing that God can. It is knowing that God will.

9849635412

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 14 - Gunatraya Vibhaga 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

The ways of the three gunas are now explained

The Symptoms of the Gunas 11-18

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 14 - Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga - Sloka 11

Sanjaya reporting the Kurukshetra War to Dhritarashtra

Sarva dwareshu dehe asmin prakashah upajayate I

Gyanam yada tada vidyat vivrudham sattvam iti ute II sloka 11

When the light of knowledge beams through all the gateways of the body, then it may be known that sattva is predominant. 

If a lamp is placed within a box fitted with glasses of various hues, its light shines through all the glasses. The intensity of the light adds to the brilliance pouring out. man's body is very much like that  box. The sense organs are the gateways for the light of the self within, to beam into view. While in sattva, the effulgence of the self is at its height. And this is evinced by the functioning of the senses. In the act of seeing there is sharpness, in hearing there is alertness, in performing an action, there is precision, accompanied by deliberation and accuracy. All the senses function pleasantly at their best. These are the marks of the predominance of sattva.

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 14 - Gunatraya Vibhaga 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

The characteristics of the three gunas are now explained

The Function of the Gunas 5-10

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 14 - Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga - Sloka 9

Sattvam sukhe sanjayati rajah karmani bharata I

Gyanam avruta tu tamah pramade sanjayati uta II sloka 9

सत्त्वं सुखे संजयति रजः कर्माणि भारत I 
ज्ञानं आवृत तु तमः प्रमादे संजयति उत II श्लोक 9

Sattva binds one to happiness, and rajas to action, O Bharata, while tamas verily veils knowledge and binds one to heedlessness.

The temperament predominant in a man is the indicator of the guna in which he has moulded himself. Sattva is in ascendancy in the man given to pleasures ranging from the physical to intellectual and ethical. Rajas dominates in him who is ever active and engages himself in all sorts of enterprises. The man who is callous about his  duty, who wastes time without compunction, who squanders his money foolishly - such a man is immersed in tamas.

How these gunas act upon one another is given in the next sloka.

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 14 - Gunatraya Vibhaga 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

The characteristics of the three gunas are now explained

The Function of the Gunas 5-10

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 14 - Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga - Sloka 10

Vibheeshana  Saranagati

Rajah tamah cha abhibhuya sattvam bhavati bharata I

Rajah sattvam tamah cha eva tamah sattvam rajah tatha II sloka 10

रजः तमः च अभिभूयः सत्त्वं भवति भारत I 

रजः सत्त्वम् तमः च एव तमः सत्त्वं रजः ततः II श्लोक 10 

Sattva asserts itself, O Bharata, by dominating over Rajas and Tamas; and Rajas over sattva and tamas; and Tamas over Sattva and Rajas

All the three gunas are inherent in the jivatman. These gunas again are interrelated like the three sides of a triangle. When any one side of the triangle is placed in the forefront, the other two get behind perforce. Even so is the case with the three gunas. In his calm and serene wakeful state, man stays in the sattva which nourishes him in joy and wisdom. The preponderance of rajas drives him in to activity. But when overwhelmed with tamas, man can either learn nor work. He yields to lethargy and sleep. In the course of a day, all the three gunas dominate by turns, over all beings. 

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 14 - Gunatraya Vibhaga 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

The characteristics of the three gunas are now explained

The Function of the Gunas 5-10

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 14 - Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga - Sloka 8

Tamah tu gyanajam viddhi mohanam sarva dehinam I

Pramada alasya nidrabhih tan nibhadnati bharata II sloka 8

तमः तु ज्ञानजम् विद्धि मोहनम् सर्व देहिनाम् I 
प्रमाद आलस्य निद्राभिः तन् निभद्नाति भरत II श्लोक 8

But know tamas to be born of ignorance, deluding all embodied beings; it binds fast, O Bharata, by heedlessness, indolence and sleep. 

Tamas is the inertia born of ignorance. It enshrouds the discrimination of man. While rajas despoils sattva, tamas despoils both sattva and rajas. It delivers man into heedlessness, indolence and sleep, rendering him inert. By nature it is destructive. 

All the three gunas are collectively again described in the next sloka

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 14 - Gunatraya Vibhaga 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

The characteristics of the three gunas are now explained

The Function of the Gunas 5-10

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 14 - Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga - Sloka 7

Rajah ragatmakam viddhi trishna sanga samudbhavam I

Tat nibhadnati kaunteya karma sangena dehinam II sloka 7

रजः रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णा संग समुद्भवम् I 
तत् निभद्नाति कौन्तेय कर्म संगेन देहिनाम्  II 7श्लोक 

Know, O Arjuna, that rajas is of that nature of passion springing from thirst and attachment that binds the embodied self with attachment to work.  

Rajas is of the nature of passion namely, it causes sexual desire. 'Passion' (raaga) is mutual yearning between a man and a woman. 'Springing from thirst and attachment' means it is the source of sensuality and attachment.'Trsna' (thirst, sensuality) is a longing for all sense objects such as sound etc. 'Sanga' (attachment) is the inordinate longing for union with one's sons, friends and other relations. By creating longing for actions, it binds the embodied self. Whatever actions have begun by the self from longing for sensual enjoyments they become the cause of births in bodies that constitute the means for experiencing such enjoyments. Therefore, Rajas binds the embodied self through attachments to actions. Rajas is the cause of sexuality, sensuality and attachment and of constant engagement in actions. 

1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 14 - Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga - Sloka 6

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 characteristics of the three gunas are now explained

The Function of the Gunas 5-10

1 Gita Sloka  Every Day - Chapter 14 - Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga - Sloka 6

Tatra sattvam nirmala tvat prakasakam anamyam I

Sukha sangena badhnati jnana sangena cha anagaha II sloka 6

तत्र सत्त्वं निर्मल त्वत् प्रकासकं अनम्याम्  I
सुख संगेन बध्नति ज्ञान संगेन च अनगः II  श्लोक 6 

Of these, sattva,  being stainless,  is luminous and unobstructive. It binds, O sinless one, by creating attachment to happiness and knowledge.

The sattva guna may be compared to an evenly made clear glass. Light passes through it unobstructed and undiminished. Things seen through that glass are as vividly visible as to a normal naked eye.The sattva is similarly transparent to the brilliance of the atman. 

The characteristic nature of sattva is that it illuminates on account of its being pure. Its purity refers to being bereft of qualities that veil the light and happiness. It hence is the cause for light and happiness. Light or illumination is the enlightenment about a thing as it is. Morbidity (Disease) does not occur in its presence.The meaning is that sattva is the cause of good health.

The sattva guna however, binds the self by attachment to happiness and knowledge. When such an attachment is born, one engages in secular and vedic means for securing them. Consequently one is born in such bodies that provide the means for realising such fruits. 

Hence sattva generates knowledge and happiness as well as attachment to it.