Tuesday, December 16, 2014

FREE WILL, DESTINY AND VASANAS

In the scheme of nature, there is a free will for an individual to do something or not to do something or do differently. This is the free space available to us.
Destiny , on the other hand, plays its trick starting with the birth of a child. Why one is born poor and another rich ? Why one is healthy and another has serious birth defects? One loses the mother the moment it is born? One is born dead? The questions are too many.
But what is the force which causes such disparities ? Whether God is to be blamed for this partiality?
The only logical answer could be the Karma Theory which explains that the human being takes birth to exhaust his PrArabdha Karma. This gets extinguished only by experiencing in the world , going through the vicious cycles of pleasures and pains. In the process there is always a little scope to do some action within a limited domain. Just like a Cow which is tied by a long rope has the freedom to move within the space determined based on the length of the rope, human beings have some free will to exercise. Beyond that limited area the tied cow cannot roam about. This represents the force of destiny. The reason why people lose their precious life suddenly due to accidents, dieseases, natural calamities like Tsunami , earthquake and so on cannot be otherwise explained.
Self- effort is absolutely essential for any one without taking shelter under the guise of destiny. Therefore one has to do his Svadharma in a given environment without any expectation. If destiny decides otherwise, one should have the will power to take it in his stride in a positive manner. For this meditation techniques help a lot to make one develop equanimity towards the dualities. One should take caution not to abuse the little free will that is available to him.
Desapite one's best intentions and efforts, the effect of PrArabdha Karma embedded as VAsanAs may suddenly manifest and impact one any time. But that is the secret of life .

WHETHER BHAGAVAD GITA SHOULD NOT BE APPLIED TO NON-SPIRITUAL PURSUITS?

Bhagavad GItA has the main objective of Bhakti Yoga . But there are other valued aspects related to Karma and JnAna as well. Karma Yoga can be applied to both materialistic pursuits and religious/spiritual endeavors. The principles are the same. While one is about society another is  regarding divinity. Instead of not doing any thing (Karma SanyAsa) Karma Yoga is far superior. The philosophical inputs of Gita appeals to the mind, body and intellect representing Bhakti, Karma and JnAna Yogas. We can emulate best practices of great men as well both at the materialistic and religious / spiritual levels:
Yadyat Acarati Sreshthah tadtadevetaro janah !
sa yat pramANam kurute lokas tadanuvartate !!
--- Bh. G . iii- 21

Monday, December 15, 2014

GODA AND RADHA

SrI RAdhA is MahAlakshmI in the form of NIlA DevI. She is worshipped with intense prema bhakti bhAva by AzhvArs and AndAl (GodA) as Nappinnai. She is also fondly adored as Pinnai. Pinnai MaNAlan is verily RAdhA Vallabha.

Along with chanting of TiruppAvai , chanting of SrI RAdhA KrupA katAksha Stava helps one to gain the bliss of Krishna katAksha and His divine association.

SrIgovindapriyAm rAjnIm vrndAvana manoharIm !
KrpAsvarUpiNIm divyAM rAdhA devIm namAmyaham !!

I offer my respectful obeisances to the Goddess Sri Radha Devi, Sri Krishna’s beloved Queen, the source of the beauty of Brindavan, who is auspicious and is of the form of mercy.

SrIrAdhikAkrpApAtrAm vishNucittasutAm sudhAm !
SrIkrshNapremamagnAm tAm godA devIm namAmyaham !!

I offer my respectful obeisances to SrI Goda DevI (AndAl) who is blessed by SrI RAdhA DevI (in the form of NIla DevI), the nectar like daughter of SrI Vishnu citta (PeriyAzhvAr), immersed in Sri Krishna Prema Bhakti.

Songs:


Sri Radha Krupa Kataksha Stava Raja Stotram

Sri Krishna  Krupa Kataksha  Stava Raja Stotram

Barsane Wali Radhe

Paramadhan Radhe



जय जय श्रीराधे 

Saturday, December 13, 2014

SOME DOUBTS ABOUT MAHABHARATA KEY CHARACTERS

If we analyse the sequence of events in Mahabharata many things baffle our understanding. Bhagavan Krishna took avatara to get rid of all evil forces and protect those who are virtuous in order to cleanse the earth. This is the core objective around which every thing else revolves.
 
The birth of Pandavas, Draupadi et al are by divine command. Hence their birth and actions are also like that, unable for us to understand by applying logical reasoning.
 
Manifestations:
Krishna - Narayana
Arjuna - Nara
Draupadi : Sakti
Yudhisthira - Yama
Arjuna - Indra
Bhima - Vayu
Nakula / Sahadeva - Ashvini Devas

Due to a boon of Siva in her previous birth, Draupadi got married to panca pandavas, the holistic combination of divine saktis. That is why she is worshipped as Draupadi Amman. The Prakrti Tattva (Draupadi) is verily embedded in the Panca bhutas (Panca Pandavas).

Yudhisthira repeatedly tells Duryodhana that only between them as Kings, the gambling game should take place. But the latter forces Sakuni upon Yudhisthira through dubious means and cheats him finally. It is not that Yudhisthira does not know his limits or the nuances of dharma . The moot point is that even he is no exception in the larger context of divine dispensation and is reduced to merely a puppet when destiny strikes harder.

As held by various Sages, we have to unconditionally submit to whatever the Supreme does. As a follower of Scriptures one may think that certain deeds of Krishna are not clear from a dharmic perspective. But for a pure devotee whatever Krishna does is only dharma. That is the amazing beauty of devotion. Until we reach that ecstatic stage, such questions are bound to arise.

Saturday, December 6, 2014

SRI DATTATREYA JAYANTI


SrI DattAreya was born to SrI anasUyA devI - atri maharishi. He represents trimUrtis in the form of brahMA, VishNu and sadASiva .

Adau brahmA madhye vishNurante devah sadASivah !
MUrtitraya svarUpAya dattAtreya namostu te !!