Showing posts with label Guru. Show all posts

Friday, December 7, 2012

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Om Shri Gurave Namaha. Om Shri Sivanandaya Namah.

Om Shri Krishnanandaya Namah. Om Shri Chidanandaya Namah.

This Week's Svadyaya page

Spiritualise All Activity

Sadhana is the hallmark of a sadhaka, yoga-abhyasa of a yogi, prayer, worship
and devotion of a devotee. The hallmark of the dhyana-yogi is discipline, self-control,
ceaseless effort to ingather the mind and to check its wandering and to focus it towards
the great ideal. The hallmark of a karma-yogi is engaging in one’s duties and activities
worshipfully, remembering the Divine Being throughout the activity, and offering the
activity at the feet of the ever-present supreme Reality.

Thus, in the ultimate context, all spiritual life, all yoga, all sadhana is the devout
engaging in the right and appropriate kind of spiritual activity by the seeker. The Lord
says in the Gita that whether you wish it or not, the cosmic Nature with its outgoing
tendency of the mind will compel you to engage in numerous various activities. When
this is inevitable, why not be wise and spiritualise activity? Why not be wise and make it
a means of connecting yourself with the Divine?

Such wisdom in action is called Yoga. “Yogah karmasu kaushalam – Skill in action lies in
(the practice of this) Yoga.” [Gita 2.50] If I have to engage in action, let me be wise. Let
me have inner awareness, so that my activity is done with an attitude that makes it a
means of moving towards God.

Arjuna responded by “Karishye Vachanam Tava – Thy will be done, and let me have the
insight and the power to engage in action for the due fulfilment of Thy will.” [Gita 18.73]
Even so, the disciple should engage in spiritual sadhana, but without a sense of
abhiman, ego. “I am able to do this by Your supreme mercy and grace. “Naham Karta
Harih Karta Tatva Puja Karama chaa Khilam – I am not the doer, Lord Hari is the doer.
All work is Thy worship.” Thus acting, the actor becomes not merely a karma-yogi, he
also becomes a jnana-yogi. He desires to elevate his activity to such sublime heights
because of his desire, great love for attaining the Lord. There is bhakti. When bhakti and
jnana becomes the moving forces infilling all activity, it is filled with vairagya, dispassion.
It is a liberating activity, a God-oriented activity – activity at the centre of which there is
wakefulness. The inner svarupa of activity is purely spiritual.

May your life be such confluence of bhakti, janana and yoga, and may all your activity be
a sadhana for God-realisation! May it be God-oriented, and thus helping you to connect
yourself with God at every step, at every moment!

May your entire life be a divine life!

-Swami Chidananda

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Guru - Jagadguru Chandrashekarendra Saraswati Swamiji

Jagadguru Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Swamigal (May 20, 1894 – January 8, 1994) or the Sage of Kanchi was the 68th Jagadguru in the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. He is usually referred to as Paramacharya or Mahaswami or Maha Periyavaal.

Jaya Jaya Shankara Hara Hara Shankara - by M.S. Subbalakshmi

Rare Pictures of Kanchi Kamakoti Pettam Maha Periyavar (in 4 parts)

Rare pictures of Maha Periyavar - Part 1

Maha Periyavaal was born on 20 May 1894, under Anuradha star according to the Hindu calendar, into a Kannadiga Smartha Hoysala Karnataka Brahmin family in Viluppuram, South Arcot District, Tamil Nadu as Swaminatha. He was the second son of Subramanya Sastri, a District Education Officer. The child was named Swaminatha, after the family deity, Lord Swaminatha of Swamimalai, near Kumbakonam. Swaminatha began his early education at the Arcot American Mission High School at Tindivanam, where his father was working. He was an exceptional student and excelled in several subjects. In 1905, his parents performed his Upanayanam, a Vedic ceremony which qualifies a Brahmin boy to begin his Vedic studies under an accomplished teacher.

Rare pictures of Maha Periyavar - Part 2

During the childhood of the Acharya, his father consulted an astrologer who, upon studying the boy's horoscope, is said to have been so stunned that he prostrated himself before the boy exclaiming that "One day the whole world will fall at his feet".

Indeed the predictions came through and young Swaminathan was installed as the 68th head of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam on February 13, 1907, the second day of the Tamil month of Masi, Prabhava year. He was given Sanyasa Asramam at the early age of 13 and was named Chandrasekharendra Saraswati. On May 9, 1907 his "Pattabishekam" as the 68th Peetathipathi of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam was performed at the Kumbakonam Math.

Rare pictures of Maha Periyavar part 3

Even though there was not enough property in the mutt to be administered, the court considering the benefit of the mutt, ordered the mutt to be administered under the “Guardian and Wards Act”. Sri C.H.Venkataramana Iyer, an illustrious personality from Kolinjivadi (Colinjivadi) village near Coimbatore was appointed as guardian by the court. The administration of the mutt was under guardianship from 1911 to May,1915.

Rare pictures of Maha Periyavar - Part 4

On the day of Sankara Jayanthi in the year 1915, Swamigal took over the administration of the mutt on the completion of his 21 st year. The administration of the mutt was taken over in name, but the actual work was taken care of by an agent, one Sri Pasupathi Iyer. He was an able administrator who volunteered to do the job without compensation and hailed from Thirupathiripuliyur. Sri Swamigal does not sign any document, instead Sri Mukham stamp is placed on documents.

An excerpt of how he became the 68th pontiff was best told by Acharya himself and published in Bhavan’s Journal, Bombay:

“ In the beginning of the year 1907, when I was studying in a Christian Mission School at Tindivanam, a town in South Arcot District, I heard one day that the Sankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam who was amidst us in our town in the previous year, attained siddhi at Kalavai, a village about 10 miles from Arcot and 25 miles from Kanchipuram. Information was received that a maternal cousin of mine who, after some study in Rig Veda, had joined the camp of the Acharya offering his services to him, was installed on the Peetam.”

“He was the only son of the widowed and destitute sister of my mother and there was not a soul in the camp to console her. At this juncture, my father who was a supervisor of schools in the Tindivanam taluk, planned to proceed with his family to Kalavai, some 60 miles from Tindivanam, in his own bullock cart. But on account of an educational conference at Tiruchirapalli, he cancelled the programme.”

“My mother with myself and other children started to Kalavai to console her sister on her son assuming sannyas ashram. We traveled by rail to Kanchipuram, and halted at Sankaracharya mutt there. I had my ablutions at the Kumara-koshta Tirtha. A carriage of the Mutt had come there from Kalavai with persons to buy articles for the Maha Pooja on the 10th day after the passing away of the late Acharya Paramaguru. But one of them, a hereditary Maistri of the mutt, asked me to accompany him. A separate cart was engaged for the rest of the family to follow me.”

“During our journey, the maistri hinted to me that I might not return home and that the rest of my life might have to be spent in the mutt itself. At first I thought that my elder cousin having become the head of the mutt, it might have been his wish that I was to live with him. I was then only 13 years of age and so I wondered as to what use I might be to him in the institution.”

“But the maistri gradually began to clarify as miles rolled on, that the Acharya, my cousin in the poorvashram had fever which developed into delirium and that was why I was being separated from the family to be quickly taken to Kalavai. He told me that he was commissioned to go to Tindivanam and fetch me, but he was able to meet me at Kanchipuram itself. I was stunned by this unexpected turn of events. I lay in a kneeling posture in the cart itself, shocked as I was, repeating Rama Rama, the only spiritual prayer I knew, during the rest of the journey.”

“My mother and the other children came some time later only to find that instead of her mission of consoling her sister, she herself was placed in the state of having to be consoled by someone else.”

“My robes of sannyas were not the result of any renunciation on my part, nor had I the advantage of living under a Guru for any length of time. I was surrounded from the very first day of sannyas by all the comforts and responsibilities of a gorgeous court.”

Maha Periyavaal was the head of the Mutt for eighty-seven years. During this period, the Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam acquired new strength as an institution that propagated Śankara's teachings. The devotion, fervour, and intensity with which the Paramacharya practiced what Śankara had taught are considered to be unparalleled by his devotees.Throughout his life, the focus of his concern and activities was rejuvenating Veda adhyayana, the Dharma Sasthras, and the age-old tradition, which had suffered decline. "Veda rakshanam" was his very life breath, and he referred to this in most of his talks.

Remaining active throughout his life, the sage of Kanchi twice undertook pilgrimages on foot from Rameshwaram in the far south of the Indian peninsula to Benares in the North.

His long tenure as Pitadhipathi is considered by many to have been the Golden Era of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham. He attained Mukti (died) on January 8, 1994 at the age of 100 and was succeeded by Jayendra Saraswati Swamigal.

Periyava stressed the importance of a Guru in one's life. He repeatedly preached about the importance of following the Dharmic path. His various discourses are available in a volume of books called 'Deivathin Kural' (Voice of the Divine) which have been compiled by R. Ganapathi, a devotee of Periyava, and published by vaanathi publications. These books are available both in Tamil and English.

Though Periyavaa did not get directly into politics, he was interested in the happenings. At Nellichery in Palakkad (Present Day Kerala), Rajaji and Mahatma Gandhi met the Acharya in a cow shed. It was a practice in the mutt to wear silk clothes. But Acharya was the first one to do away with them and shifted to Khadi robes at Rameshwaram. He requested his devotees to do away with foreign/ non natural clothes some time earlier at Trichy. The day India became free, he gave the Maithreem Bhajata song, which was later to be sung at the UN by M S Subbulakshmi.

Maithreem Bhajatha Akila Hrith Jeththreem

Serve with Friendship and Humility, which will conquer the Hearts of Everyone.
Atmavat Eva Paraan api pashyata

Look upon others similar to yourself.
Yuddham Tyajata

Renounce War
Spardhaam Tyajata

Renounce unnecessary Competition for Power
Tyajata Pareshwa akrama aakramanam

Give up Aggression on others' properties which is wrong
Jananee Prthivee Kaamadughaastey

Mother Earth is wide enough and ready to give us all we desire like a Kaamadenu
JanakO Deva: Sakala Dayaalu

God, Our Father, is very Compassionate to All
Daamyata

So, Restrain yourself
Datta

So, Donate your wealth to others
Dayathvam

So, Be Kind to others
Janathaa:

Oh People of the World
Sreyo Bhooyaath Sakala Janaanaam

May All People of this World be Happy and Prosperous.

The life of Chandrasekara Maha Periyavar

SriMahaSwamyCharitram21_edit.pdf

The Sage of Kanchi: Life of Sri Chandrashekarendra Saraswati (Part 1 of 7)

The Sage of Kanchi: Life of Sri Chandrashekarendra Saraswati (Part 2 of 7)

The Sage of Kanchi: Life of Sri Chandrashekarendra Saraswati (Part 3 of 7)

The Sage of Kanchi: Life of Sri Chandrashekarendra Saraswati (Part 4 of 7)

The Sage of Kanchi: Life of Sri Chandrashekarendra Saraswati (Part 5 of 7)

The Sage of Kanchi: Life of Sri Chandrashekarendra Saraswati (Part 6 of 7)

The Sage of Kanchi: Life of Sri Chandrashekarendra Saraswati (Part 7 of 7)

Speech by Maha Periyavar

Maha Periyavar about Lord Ganesha (popularly known as pillayar in the South of India)

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Vyas Poornima (Guru Poornima)

Vyas Poornima or Guru Poornima falls on the full moon day in the month of Ashadha, the fourth month of the lunar Indian calendar. Men and women worship their spiritual Gurus or teachers on this day.

As Gurus, in the earlier days, did not accept money from their students as fee, the students after having settled down in their life used to make annual offerings in accordance with their earnings. The scholars also present their newly published books and take the blessings of their Guru on this day. In a way, it used to be an old student’s day.

It is said that in each Dwapar yuga, some great scholar re-arranges the Vedas and the Puranas and is called Vyas. The 28^th Veda Vyas (author of Mahabharata) born to Rishi Parashar and Matsyagandha, is known as Krishna Dwaipayana Veda Vyas. He is called Krishna because he was dark in color, and Dwaipayan as he was born in a dweep or an island in a river.

Veda Vyas spent a large part of his life in Haryana. The village Bilaspur (near Chhachhrauli-Jagadhri) is old Vyaspur, where on the bank of river Saraswati, It is believed that those who worship their Gurus are blessed by Saraswati, the goddess of learning. They become sharp-minded and men of knowledge and are also ways held in high esteem.

Maharishi Veda Vyas was the greatest scholar of the Dwapar Yuga. Besides scholars like Vidhura, he had a large number of disciples. To show their reverence to their Guru, these great scholarly students decided to meet their Guru every year on Ashadha Poornima day (the first day of Chaturmasya). This being the rainy season in India, the Sanyasis or the Spritual Gurus settle down at a particular place and do not travel for four months and are said to deliver scholarly discourses to their disciples and devotees. Another reason for selecting the Poornima day, is the belief that, like the moon which shines by reflecting the light of the sun and glorifies it, the disciples can shine like the moon by gaining knowledge from their guru.

Even though God is extremely simple, our minds being so complicated, we need a Guru -- not to teach us about our path, but to teach us about our mind, and to get us through the mind to that absolute simplicity, which is God.

On Vyas Poornima, people still observe this day as Guru Poornima day and recite Guru Gita (said to be a part of Skanda Purana) written by Veda Vyas. In this Lord Shiva explains to his consort Parvati the significance of worshipping the Guru.

Dhyaana moolam guror murtih;
Pooja moolam guror padam;
Mantra moolam guror vakyam;
Moksha moolam guror kripa

The form of the Guru is the object of meditation, the feet of the guru are the object of worship, the words of the Guru are the mantra and the grace of the Guru is the means of liberation. (Guru Gita)

Acknowledgements:

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

http://archives.amritapuri.org/matruvani/vol-99/dec99/99mv12hints.php

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

http://srigurugita.com/files/SriGuruGitaCompleteSanskrit.pdf

http://srigurugita.com/files/SriGuruGitaCompleteEnglish.pdf

http://indiatravelogue.com/pass/fest/guru-purnima.html

Om Tat Sat

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Guru - Jiddu Krishnamurthi

J. Krishnamurthi was an enlightened soul, a writer and philosopher whose mission was to bring about a positive change in human personality.

Jiddu Krishnamurthi was born on May 11, 1895 in Madanapalle, Andra Pradesh state and is from a family of telugu speaking Brahmins. He was at most times assumed to be mentally retarded and punished by his parents and teachers for revealing his psychic experiences.

Through his association with the theosophical society, he was able to bloom into a true spiritual guru. He believed that everyone should meditate and have a more spiritual approach to living. He respected humanity and nature and wanted everyone to treat themselves well and preserve Earth.

He did not encourage intellectual pursuits. He believed that the ultimate truth can be realized only through each seeker’s awareness to his own experience, understanding and observation leading to involution (inward growth).

Later he said, “I maintain that truth is a pathless land, and you cannot approach it by any path whatsoever, by any religion, by any sect. That is my point of view, and I adhere to that absolutely and unconditionally. Truth, being limitless, unconditioned, unapproachable by any path whatsoever, cannot be organized; nor should any organization be formed to lead or coerce people along a particular path. ... This is no magnificent deed, because I do not want followers, and I mean this. The moment you follow someone you cease to follow Truth”.

He compared himself to Thomas Edison, meaning that the seeker has to just flick the switch as all the hard work had been done by him through his process of self-realization. He wanted seekers to simply live the teachings laid out by him, in order to attain the higher consciousness.

He attained liberation through his own personal experiences and observations and died on February 17, 1986.

Quotes of J.Krishnamurti

If we can really understand the problem, the answer will come out of it, because the answer is not separate from the problem.

In oneself lies the whole world and if you know how to look and learn, the door is there and the key is in your hand. Nobody on earth can give you either the key or the door to open, except yourself.

Religion is the frozen thought of man out of which they build temples.

The end is the beginning of all things, Suppressed and hidden, Awaiting to be released through the rhythm Of pain and pleasure.

The flowering of love is meditation.

There is no end to education. It is not that you read a book, pass an examination, and finish with education. The whole of life, from the moment you are born to the moment you die, is a process of learning.

Tradition becomes our security, and when the mind is secure it is in decay.

We all want to be famous people, and the moment we want to be something we are no longer free.

What is needed, rather than running away or controlling or suppressing or any other resistance, is understanding fear; that means, watch it, learn about it, come directly into contact with it. We are to learn about fear,not how to escape from it.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Manasa Bhajare Gurucharanam - Bhajan

Manasa Bhajare Guru Charanam. Dustara Bhava Sagara Taranam.

Gura Maha Raj, Guru Jai Jai, Sai Natha Sadguru Jai Jai.

Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namashivaya,
Shivaya Namah Om.

Aruna Chala Shiva, Aruna Chala Shiva, Aruna Chala Shiva, Aruna ShivaOm.

Omkaram Baba, Omkaram Baba, Omkaram Baba, Om Namo Baba.

Maanasa Bhajare

Discourse of Sathya Sai Baba, Vijayadhashami, Prashanthi Nilayam, 1953
Published by Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publications Trust

When I was at Uravakonda studying in the High School, you know I came away one day and threw off my books and declared that I have My work waiting for Me. The Thelugu Pandith (scholar) described the incident of that evening to you all in his speech. Well, that day when I came out publicly as Sai Baaba, that first song I taught the gathering in the garden to which I went from the Thelugu Pandith's house was:

"Maanasa bhajare guru charanam
Dhusthara bhava saagara tharanam"

I called on all those suffering in the endless round of birth and death to worship the Feet of the Guru (spiritual preceptor), the Guru that was announcing Himself, who had come again for taking upon Himself the burden of those who find refuge in Him. That was the very first Message of Mine to Humanity. "Maanasa bhajare", "Worship in the mind!". I do not need your flower garlands and fruits, things that you get for an anna or two; they are not genuinely yours. Give Me something that is yours, something which is clean and fragrant with the perfume of virtue and innocence, and washed in the tears of repentance! Garlands and fruits you bring as items in the show, as an exhibition of your devotion; poorer devotees who cannot afford to bring them are humiliated and they feel sorry that they are helpless; they cannot demonstrate their devotion in the grand way in which you are doing it. Install the Lord in your heart and offer Him the fruits of your actions and the flowers of your inner thoughts and feelings. That is the worship I like most, the devotion I appreciate most.

http://www.saibaba.ws/discourses/1953/53Vijayadhashami.htm

Significance of Guru

Guru provides proper guidance to the seeker of knowledge, in the Atma-Gyan (self-realization ) and Brahma-Gyan (the realization of the ultimate- Brahman). Guru dispels the darkness caused by ignorance. (‘Gu’ means darkness and ‘ru’ means, its removal). God is extremely simple. But our minds are so complicated. That is why we need a Guru -- not to teach us about our path, but to teach us about our mind, and to get us through the mind to that absolute simplicity, which is God.

The Guru Gita further explains that “The form of the Guru is the object of meditation, the feet of the guru are the object of worship, the words of the Guru are the mantra and the grace of the Guru is the means of liberation”.

Guru Paduka Stotram by Adi Shankara

Pray with complete devotion and surrender yourself to Shirdi Sai Baba. By chanting even the first Slokha of Guru Paduka Stotram, our Sadguru Sai, will help us cross this samsara Sagara(the endless ocean of life).