Ashoka The Great

Ashoka was born in 304 BC, to Mauryan Emperor Bindusara and a relatively lower ranked queen, Dharma. The legend associated with the emperor goes that his birth had been predicted by Buddha, in the story of 'The Gift of Dust'. Buddhist Emperor Ashoka had only one younger sibling, Vitthashoka, but, several elder half-brothers. Right from his childhood days Ashoka showed great promise in the field of weaponry skills as well as academics.


Ashoka was one of the most powerful kings of the Indian Subcontinent. A ruler of the Mauryan Empire, Ashoka ruled over the country from 273 BC to 232 BC. The reign of Emperor Ashoka covered most of India, South Asia and beyond, stretching from present day Afghanistan and parts of Persia in the west, to Bengal and Assam in the east, and Mysore in the south. However, the Battle of Kalinga changed King Ashoka completely. From a power hungry emperor, he turned into a Buddhist follower and started preaching the principles of Buddhism throughout the world. Read on this biography to know more about the life history of 'Ashoka the Great':


Ashoka's Reign



Ashoka quickly grew into an excellent warrior general and an astute statesman. His command on the Mauryan army started growing day by day and because of this, his elder brothers became suspicious of him being favored by Bindusara as the next emperor. The eldest son of Bindusara, Prince Susima, convinced him to send Ashoka to Takshashila province (in Sindh) to control an uprising caused by the formation of different militias. However, the moment Ashoka reached the province, the militias welcomed him with open arms and the uprising came to an end without any fight. This particular success of Ashoka made his elder brothers, especially Susima, more insecure.


Susima started inciting Bindusara against Ashoka, who was then sent into exile by the emperor. Ashoka went to Kalinga, where he met a fisherwoman named Kaurwaki. He fell in love with her and later, made Kaurwaki his second or third wife. Soon, the province of Ujjain started witnessing a violent uprising. Emperor Bindusara called back Ashoka from the exile and sent him to Ujjain. The prince was injured in the ensuing battle and was treated by Buddhist monks and nuns. It was in Ujjain that Ashoka first came to know about the life and teachings of Buddha. In Ujjain, he also met Devi, his personal nurse, who later became his wife.


In the following year, Bindusura became seriously ill and was literally on his deathbed. A group of ministers, led by Radhagupta, called upon Ashoka to assume the crown. In the fight that followed his accession, Ashoka attacked Pataliputra, now Patna, and killed all his brothers, including Susima. After he became the King, Ashoka launched brutal assaults to expand his empire, which lasted for around eight years. Around this time, his Buddhist queen, Devi, gave birth to Prince Mahindra and Princess Sanghamitra.

The Kalinga Battle


The battle of Kalinga (now Orissa) became a turning point in the life of 'Ashoka the Great'. The exact reason for the battle is not known. However, it is believed that one of Ashoka's brothers took refuge at Kalinga and this enraged Ashoka, who launched a brutal assault on the province. The whole of the province was plundered and destroyed and thousands of people were killed.

Embracing & Spreading Buddhism

It is said that after the battle of Kalinga was over, King Ashoka went on a tour of the city. He could see nothing except burnt houses and scattered corpses. This was the first time in his life that Emperor Ashoka realized the consequences of wars and battles. It is said that even after he had returned to Patliputra, he was haunted by the scenes he saw in Kalinga. Even his queen, Devi, who was a Buddhist, left him after seeing the brutality at Kalinga.

It was during this time that he embraced Buddhism under the Brahmin Buddhist sages, Radhaswami and Manjushri. After adopting Buddhism, Ashoka started propagating its principles throughout the world, even as far as ancient Rome and Egypt. Infact, he can be credited with making the first serious attempt to develop a Buddhist policy.

Policy

Buddhist Emperor Ashoka built thousands of Stupas and Viharas for Buddhist followers. One of his stupas, the Great Sanchi Stupa, has been declared as a World Heritage Site by UNECSO. The Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath has a four-lion capital, which was later adopted as the national emblem of the modern Indian republic.

Throughout his life, 'Ashoka the Great' followed the policy of nonviolence or ahimsa. Even the slaughter or mutilation of animals was abolished in his kingdom. He promoted the concept of vegetarianism. The caste system ceased to exist in his eyes and he treated all his subjects as equals. At the same time, each and every person was given the rights to freedom, tolerance, and equality.

Missions to Spread Buddhism

The third council of Buddhism was held under the patronage of Emperor Ashoka. He also supported the Vibhajjavada sub-school of the Sthaviravada sect, now known as the Pali Theravada. He sent his missionaries to the following places:

• Kashmir - Gandhara Majjhantika
• Mahisamandala [Mysore] - Mahadeva
• Vanavasi [Tamil Nadu] - Rakkhita
• Aparantaka [Gujarat and Sindh] - Yona Dhammarakkhita
• Maharattha [Maharashtra] - Mahadhammarakkhita
• "Country of the Yona" [Bactria/ Seleucid Empire] - Maharakkhita
• Himavanta [Nepal] - Majjhima
• Suvannabhumi [Thailand/ Myanmar] - Sona and Uttara
• Lankadipa [Sri Lanka] - Mahamahinda

His missionaries also went to the below mentioned places:

• Seleucid Empire [Middle Asia]
• Egypt
• Macedonia
• Cyrene [Libya]
• Epirus [Greece and Albania]

Ashoka Chakra

Emperor Ashoka as a great ruler of India and as promoter of Buddhism holds an important role in the history of the world.

After ruling over the Indian subcontinent for a period of approximately 40 years, the Great Emperor Ashoka died in 232 BC. After his death, his empire lasted for just fifty more years. After doing a great deal of good for his kingdom and the world at large. His fame has spread far and wide. To commemorate his rule and its implications the Government of India has adopted the Ashoka Chakra as its national symbol, which can be seen till today on the national flag.

Lokmanya Keshav 'Bal' Gangadhar Tilak

Bal Gangadhar Tilak (1856-1920), was an Indian nationalist, teacher, social reformer and independence fighter who was the first popular leader of the Indian Independence Movement. The British colonial authorities infamously and derogatorily called the great leader as “Father of the Indian unrest”. He was also conferred upon the honorary title of Lokmanya, which literally means “Revered by the people (as their leader)”. Tilak was one of the first and strongest advocates of “Swaraj” (self-rule) in Indian consciousness. His famous quote, “Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall have it !” is well-remembered in India even today.



He was a great scholar who authored many books on Gita and Vedas. In Gita Rahasya, his commentary on Srimad Bhagavad Gita, he established that Karma Yoga or the Yoa of selfless action is the main teaching of the Gita.

Although he was helpful to revolutionaries such as Savarkar, Aurobindo Ghosh and Chaphekar, he did not venture into it himself. Instead, he martialled the extremist wing of Indian National Congress. His movement was based on the principles of Swadeshi (Indigenous), Boycott and Education. It was he who, through his own example, gave prestige to imprisonment in freedom struggle. It is a tragedy that his work is not given the recognition due to it.


Tilak is often misinterpreted. Perhaps it is so because of his style of operation which raised bitter controversies and still more bitter opponenents even outside the beurocracy. Violent arguements characterized his relationship with social reformists such as Agarkar, Ranade and moderates like Ferozshah Mehta. Many blame him for opposing the Age of Consent Bill which raised the age limit for marriage of girls to 12 (from 10). But is fact that at the same time he had signed a counter-proposal where in one of the clauses was that the girls (boys) should not be married until they are 16 (20). He educated all of his daughters and did not marry them till they were over 16. There are instances when he privately paid for the education of women. Still it remains true that he was a reactionary and did not use his considerable influence to give a much-needed support to the social reformists. Probably, he did not want to offend the prevalent rigid system - he, himself, having been brought up in the culturally narrow surroundings of Pune. It seems as if his canvas presented him no room for active social reforms.

He had several discussions with Shankaracharya of Sankeshwar and asserted that like Swami Vivekananda, the modern Shankaracharya must be educated on modern lines. Tilak received Bachelor of Arts degree from The Deccan College, Pune in 1879 and L.L.B. from the Elphinston College, Mumbai in 1882. He was among the founders of the New English School, Pune (1881) of which Prof Chiplunkar became the Principal. He had a genius for organisation and with Agarkar, the then foremost social reformist, started the newspapers 'Kesari' and 'The Maratha' in 1881 and in 1890's started the annual celebration of 'ShivajiFestival' and 'Ganapati Festival' which served a platform for people to join in the nationalist movement against the British. Soon he came to be regarded as the undisputed leader of Maharashtra and was honored with the title 'Lokamanya' in 1893 which became synonymous with him in the 1900. As the nation fumed over the partition of Bengal (1905), Tilak assumed the national leadership with his extremist attitude and stated his position unequivocally as "Swarajya (self rule) is my birth right and I shall have it."

You may Click on the link below for a pdf presentation on this Great Leader:

http://www.mediafire.com/?emkzn2monvz

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa - India's Most Well-known Devotee of the Goddess Kali

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa is perhaps the best known saint of nineteenth century India. He was born in a poor Brahmin family in 1836, in a small town near Calcutta, West Bengal. As a young man, he was artistic and a popular storyteller and actor. His parents were religious, and prone to visions and spiritual dreams. Ramakrishna's father had a vision of the god Gadadhara (Vishnu) while on a religious pilgrimage. In the vision, the god told him that he would be born into the family as a son.

Rama Krishna Paramahamsa was an illiterate person. But be achieved world wide fame by his pursuit of truth and his realisation of the Divine. Self-realisation is the goal for every human being. This is the message of the Bhagavatha.

Rama Krishna and his wife Sharada Devi were totally illiterate. But Paramahamsa is treated as a Divine Phenomenon even today. What is the reason? He followed the path of Truth. He could realise that Truth alone could lead him to merge with the Divinity. That is what ‘Bhagavatha’ preached, "You should go to the place from where you have come". That is the main of object of life.

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa devoted his entire time from sunrise to late in the night on the contemplation of the Divine form of the Lord. Before going to bed he would look here and there and feel that yet another day had gone by without his having the vision of the Lord. Thus every moment of every day he experienced the anguish of lacking the vision of the Divine. The ancient sages experienced similar anguish in their penance seeking realisation of the Divine.

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa used to ecstatically enjoy himself in the worship of the Goddess in the temple built by Rani Rasamani. One night thieves broke into the temple and carried away all the jewels on the idol of Krishna in the temple. With a view to carrying on his regular priestly duties, he went to Rani Rasamani’s nephew, Mathuranath, and told him, "Sir, thieves have stollen all the jewels on the idol." Mathuranath was angry and proceeded with Ramakrishna to the temple. Losing his temper and balance of mind, he burst out anger, "Oh Krishna! Are you not ashamed of yourself? If you are not able to protect your jewels on your own idol, how are you going to protect the whole world? Were you paralysed when the thieves were carrying away the Jewels? Or were you asleep? This is a disgrace to you Divinity."

Hearing these words, Sri Ramakrishna said,

"Mathuranath! Shut your mouth! For the sake of your petty jewels and trinkets, is this the way you should berate God? When the Goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, is the consort of the Lord, why do you get so agitated over the loss of a few trivial ornaments? The Lord can have no such petty feelings. You are feeling so much for the action of a few thieves who loved some jewels and came to the Lord to get them. It is because of your love for jewels that you are getting distressed so much. But the Lord has no desires. He is ready to give himself away. God is prepared to offer himself. Such a one, will He be worried about this petty loss? Hence, change your vision. Do not comment on God." At these words Mathuranath felt ashamed of himself.

Then Ramakrishna sat near the idol of Sri Krishna and prayed, "Krishna! As long as one is caught up in the coils of the world, he will speak like an intoxicated man. Only when he gets immersed in God will he oblivious to himself. Therefore, do not let ourself get intoxicated. Confer on me the boon of self forgetfulness." This is what is meant by the saying, "The knower of Brahman becomes Brahman himself." When one experiences the Divine, he sees the Divine in everything.

One day, while Ramakrishna was going to Kamarpukur, he was caught in heavy rain right in the center of a burial ground. Of course he was in such an ecstatic mood that the time, place or weather mattered little to him. When he awoke, Ramakrishna called upon God by various names - Rama, Siva, Krishna, Kali, Hanuman. Then he suddenly realised that the names all referred to the One, and he repeated within himself the verse from the Gita that reminded of Sharanagathi (absolute surrender) to the One.

At Dakshineshwar, when Ramakrishna was once asked to go to the temple office to receive his monthly salary, he was very much upset, for he never wanted any wages for being given the chance of worshipping his Mother.

At one point he became frustrated, feeling he could not live any longer without seeing Kali. He demanded that the goddess appear to him. He threatened to take his own life with a ritual dagger (normally held in the hand of the Kali statue). At this point, he explained how the goddess appeared to him as an ocean of light:


......When I jumped up like a madman and seized [a sword], suddenly the blessed Mother revealed herself. The buildings with their different parts, the temple, and everything vanished from my sight, leaving no trace whatsoever, and in their stead I saw a limitless, infinite, effulgent Ocean of Consciousness. As far as the eye could see, the shining billows were madly rushing at me from all sides with a terrific noise, to swallow me up. I was caught in the rush and collapsed, unconscious … within me there was a steady flow of undiluted bliss, altogether new, and I felt the presence of the Divine Mother.

[Mahendranath Gupta, Ramakrsna Kathamrta translated by Swami Nikhilananda as The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna (Mylapore: Sri Ramakrsna Math, 1952), Book 1, p. 15 ]


Yet another story of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa says, how he slapped Rani Rasamani on her face when she stood before the shrine at Dakshineshwar with folded hands and half closed eyes, to all appearing as if praying to the Mother. He knew that she was not praying, but actually involving herself with plans for a civil suit in a court of law and so he reminded her of the sanctity of the place and the need to pray for higher objectives, by a slap. The Rani acknowledged the act of service and prevented her servants from admonishing Paramahamsa. He had done her good, she said.

The scriptures convey a living message; the idols of God convey a living lesson. They are not wood or stone. That is why Sri Ramakrishna did not support those who directed that a broken idol be discarded. He asked whether Rani Rasamani would discard Mathur Babu, her son-in-law, if he happened to break his leg. He recommended that the idol be mended and used for worship.

With a view to test Ramakrishna, a disciple called Narendra or Vivekananda kept a few gold coins under the bed of Ramakrishna. Immediately Ramakrishna got up because he felt as if his body was burning. The inner meaning of this story is that Ramakrishna was still seeing the distinction between gold on the one hand and mind on the other hand. He kept on exchanging them from one hand to other hand, till he lost the sense of distinction between them. He then realised the quantity or the oneness of them.
Ramakrishna had the sense of total dedication. He was in great pain as a result of cancer, and his disciples asked him to pray to the Mother for the alleviation of the pain. Vivekananda was desperate when his master refused to ask this little favour from the Mother with whom he was literally on speaking terms. But Ramakrishna replied that as it was the Mother’s will that he must suffer, he was not going to pray for palliative. But his disciples were adamant. They bothered Ramakrishna so much that one day he prayed to the Mother that he may be helped to take a little food in spite of the cancer in his throat. Ramakrishna told his disciples that at that time he heard the mother admonishing him for his ignorance, "Are you not eating through all these billion throats? Why regret that one throat is incapable of taking down food?" This truth was brought home to the disciples by this revelation.

Thothapuri wanted that Ramakrishna must give up even his Ishtadevatha Kalimatha (Goddess Kali), when he sought the highest bliss. He helped Ramakrishna to overcome his deep-rooted attachment to that Name and Form. What then are we to say of the attachment to mere name of these yogis and rishis (sages), of the present time? They will not stir a finger, they will not give up a single desire or habit; they can not miss a meal or sit quiet for an hour; but they expect that God must grant them immortality and men must take them as their examples.

Disciples began to appear at this point in Ramakrishna's life. He embarked on a long period of teaching where he gathered a group of disciples around him. This period of his life is well documented by two sets of books written by his disciples. These references are listed below.

For those with a strong sense of Hindu nationalism, Ramakrishna's chief disciple, Swami Vivekananda, entered onto the world stage by doing a keynote address at the World Parliament of Religions meeting in Chicago in 1893, and he electrified his audience. Hindus for generations could point to their indigenous traditions with pride after his exemplary speech.


Vivekananda also promoted a more activist form of Hinduism, which focused on education, feeding the poor, and developing libraries and other institutions. His works were a way of showing Hindus that it was not only the Christian missionaries that could benefit society, but that Hindu religion was also valuable with respect to improving society and combating social ills.

Ramakrishna died of cancer of the throat in 1886, leaving his wife Sarada Devi who was considered a saint in her own right to take charge of his disciples and carry on his message.


Books for Reference:
Courtesy: http://www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info/]

• THE GOSPEL OF SRI RAMAKRISHNA (KATHAMRITA) Slightly edited translation by Swami Nikhilananda published 1944
• THE GOSPEL OF SRI RAMAKRISHNA (KATHAMRITA) Word to word translation by Sri Dharm Pal Gupta
• THE COMPLETE WORKS OF SWAMI VIVEKANANDA
• VIVEKANANDA A BIOGRAPHY by Swami Nikhilananda (Published 1953)
• REMINISCENCES OF SWAMI VIVEKANANDA (Third Edition, Published 1983) and other sources.
• Short biographies of SRI RAMAKRISHNA (by Swami Tejasananda, published 1940), SRI MAA (by Swami Pavitrananda, published 1942) and SWAMI VIVEKANANDA (by Swami Tejasananda, published 1940).

Books on Ramakrishna:

• The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna by Mahendranath Gupta
• Ramakrishna the Great Master by Swami Saradanananda
• The Great Swan: Meeting with Ramakrishna by Lex Hixon
• Life of Ramakrishna by Romain Rolland
• Ramakrishna and His Disciples by Christopher Isherwood

Available from:

The Vedanta Press

[Courtesy: http://www.vedanta.com/store/Ramakrishna.php]

Swami Dayananda Saraswati - Founder of "Arsha Vidya Gurukalam"

Swami Dayananda Saraswati ... ascetic, philosopher and teacher.

Background

Natarajan was born in Manjakudi -Thiruvarur district of Tamil Nadu on August 15, 1930. He became interested in Vedanta after listening to the public talks of Swami Chinmayananda. He became involved with the Chinmaya Mission in various roles.



He was given sanyas by Swami Chinmayananda in 1962.

Teaching



Swami Dayananda has been teaching Vedanta in India for more than four decades, and around the world since 1976. His depth of understanding and nuanced appreciation of Western culture makes him a rare teacher who can communicate the vision of non-duality to modern listeners.


Swami Dayananda designed and taught six resident in-depth Vedanta courses, each spanning 30 to 36 months. Four were conducted in India, and two in the United States. Each course graduated about 60 qualified acharyas, teachers, who are now teaching around the world. More than one hundred are now swamis and are highly respected as scholars and teachers throughout India and abroad.

 

Institutions



Under Swami Dayananda’s guidance, numerous centers for Vedic teaching have been founded around the world. The two main centers in India are the Arsha Vidya Ashram in Rishikesh and the Arsha Vidya Gurukulam in Coimbatore.

In the United States., the main center is the Arsha Vidya Gurukulam at Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania. At present there are at least sixty centers in India and abroad that carry on the same tradition of Vedantic teaching.


In 1986, Swami Dayananda Saraswati founded the Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, a Gurukula that has branches in India and the United States. Arsha Vidya Gurukulam is an institute for the traditional study of Advaita Vedanta, Yoga, Ayurveda, Jyotish, Sanskrit and other classicalHindu studies. The word Arsha means that which is from the Rishis - the great seers of ancient India. The word Vidya means knowledge. Thus, Arsha Vidya means the knowledge flowing from the Rishis. The word Gurukulam, means "family of the teacher", referring to a residential center for learning with the Teacher. Arsha Vidya Gurukulam offers Indians and non-Indians, Hindus and non-Hindus alike an opportunity to study the profound spiritual knowledge of the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Brahma sutras, and other classical Vedanta texts.


Other Organizations


In addition to teaching, Swami Dayananda has initiated and supported various philanthropic efforts. The All India Movement [AIM] for Seva, inaugurated in November, 2000, brings medical, educational, nutritional and infrastructure assistance to villagers in the remote areas of India. This movement enjoys the blessing of all traditional Hindu spiritual leaders who have united as a single body, the Acarya Sabha, through the coordinating efforts of Swami Dayananda. In November 2001, Swami Dayananda convened the first World Congress for the Preservation of Religious Diversity in Delhi, inaugurated by the Dalai Lama and the then Prime Minister Mr.A.B.Vajpayee. An important outcome of the Congress is the formation of a Global Commission for the Preservation of Religious Diversity, spearheaded by Swami Dayananda. The Commission had its inaugural meeting in Bangkok in June, 2002. Swami Dayananda was active in forming and participating in the Women’s Global Peace Initiative, which convened at the United Nations in Geneva in October 2002. He has also participated in the Millennium Peace Summit organized by the United Nations

Excerpts from one of Swamiji's interviews -  He talks about God, religion, rituals and spirituality:


Is the concept of God just one of faith?


Well, if you say that everything here is God then He is not one of faith but one to be understood. He is both the maker and material. Viewed from this angle, for us God is not a mere belief. He is a reality. Every thinking individual at one time or the other ponders on the question — Who am I? This is only a different way of asking — Who or what is God? To understand God is to understand the atma (the self). What is your position in the world? To understand your place in the scheme of things you first need to understand the scheme.


Can you comment on the practicality of religion?


If you realise that all that is here is God there is no question of impracticality. There is a hidden variable in every effort and this includes even mundane activities like making bread. Now, in life, one has to constantly reckon with this hidden factor. You cannot control it because it is hidden. Practical people try to deal with this factor through prayer.


The very word `prayer' means a religious appeal to control the hidden variable. In fact, I would describe prayer as the effort of a practical person.


Are ethics and morality inter-related to religion?


An ethical life need not necessarily be a religious one. Bertrand Russell championed the cause of various issues like nuclear non-proliferation and so on.


But he was not a religious person. In fact, he wrote a book — `Why I am not a Christian?' it is one that has to be read by everybody. I would stress that everybody has to be ethical.


What is the significance of rituals?


One should not undermine the importance of rituals. It is an individual's attempt to relate to the Lord. Rituals are emotions given a physical form. It is a form of prayer. Prayer can be classified into three types [a] kaayikam — by physical actions [b] vaachikam — of the form of words [c] maanasam — of the mind. Each form has its significance. Prayer is karma [action] and karma produces results. By that logic different forms of prayer give rise to different results. They [the elders] may not be able to explain the reasons behind the rituals but they are all relevant.


Is a study of philosophical books necessary for spiritual evolution?


We need to study and study properly. And then you realise there is so much to know. Every human being has the basic problem of being dissatisfied with what he/she is i.e. self-non-acceptance. We are the only species of life that is given the prerogative to evolve. We have to move from erroneous knowledge to knowledge. To that end, study of right books and sat-sangh [good company] help.


While on the one hand there does seem to be a revival of religion and spirituality — a case in point is the massive attendance at your lectures — on the other hand society continues to be strife ridden.


People who come to discourses are all those who are struggling to understand [the riddle of life]. If you look at the past, you realise that it has always been a struggle to conform to Dharma. We are passing through a phase where I perceive a condition that needs to change and at the same time a trend towards change. In a boiling pot some grains get cooked early and some later. But they are all in the process.


What is the goal of human life?


Discovery of the Self. In fact no self-judging human being will rest content unless he or she discovers the self. That is 100 per cent acceptance of oneself.


What is the value of Vedic education and the Sanskrit language?


Vedic heritage is a legacy we have inherited. A heritage is something you imbibe over generations down. Research has proven that it is important for a human child to be aware of its roots. We must be proud of our heritage, our ancestry and if that has meaning too then it is actually a privilege. Define a typical Hindu home and you have explained Vedic heritage.


The UNESCO has declared that Vedic recitation is the most ancient and they have also declared it human heritage. We are preserving monuments, fossils, old skeletons and so on. We say with pride — here is a million year old bone.


Shouldn't we preserve something that is profound, ancient and alive? The UNESCO has also declared Sanskrit as the most ancient of languages. It is a highly analysed language. It is the language of the Vedas. It is the key to a whole treasure-house of knowledge.


You have been quite vociferous against conversion...


Even political boundaries of countries are accepted as they are. The world is engaged in preserving cultures. When there is such an acceptance, I want acceptance of religious traditions too. Today there is a blatant destruction of ancient cultures with increasing money power. I feel it is humanity's duty to stop this crime.


What is your message for today's youth?


The youth of India should discover India. India is not to be taken for granted. Youngsters should discover India not by travelling but by understanding [its culture].


Why does one have a puja room? Why should one not step on a book or currency note? Why does a woman wear gold? In several respects we are unique — our temples, sculptures, inscriptions, our Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita. The youth need to discover their roots, trunks, branches, flowers et al.
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Books


Many of Swami Dayananda Saraswati's lectures, talks and discourses have been published in the form of books. These books deal with Vedantic teachings and its applicability to various situations in life.

A non-exhaustive list of his books include:

• The Teaching of the Bhagavad Gita
• Dialogues with Swami Dayananda
• Vivekacudamani [Talks on 108 Selected Verses]
• Visnusahasranama with translation & commentary
• Talks on Sri Rudram
• Taittiriya Upanishad As Taught by Swami Dayananda Saraswati

To get the books from Chennai contact:

Arsha Vidya Research and Publication Trust
32/4 Srinidhi Apts
Desika Road, Mylpaore, Chennai 600 004
Tel: 044-2499 7131/ 2499 7023

To get the books from Coimbatore contact:

Address: Arsha Vidya Gurukulam,
Anaikatti Post,
Coimbatore - 641 108
Ph: 0422 265 7001
Mobile: 94422 42600.

Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902)

This illustrious patriot-saint of modern India was born in Calcutta on 12 January, 1863. He was named Narendra. His father, Viswanath Datta, was a brilliant lawyer. He was highly respected for his intelligence and culture. His mother, Devi Bhuvaneshwari, was a devout woman with a great ability for training her children. As a boy, Narendra was very naughty and self-willed, and often had to be placed under a water tap to curb his mischief. Nevertheless, he was very generous, loving and devoted, with a strange attraction for wandering Sadhus. He enjoyed doing worship of Lord Rama and Lord Krishna with his mother. After his matriculation, Narendra went to college. He was rarely absent from social parties. He was the "soul of social circles" and no gathering was deemed complete without his presence. One day, his neighbour received a surprise visit from the saint of Dakshineshwar, Sri Ramakrishna. Narendra was also invited to sing devotional songs. As he sang, he sent thrill after thrill through Sri Ramakrishna until the saint fell into a state of ecstasy. When he became normal again, he made Narendra sit beside him and enquired lovingly of the boy. With time their friendship grew. The death of his father forced Narendra to find work and support the family. During these years of great struggle, his sheet anchor was his Guru, Sri Ramakrishna. Narendra yearned intensely for God and began to plague the Master for realisation. Narendra, now known as Swami Vivekananda, founded an Ashram near Calcutta, in order to organise better the Master's mission. This was the beginning of the Ramakrishna Mission. From 1888 to 1890 Swami Vivekananda travelled widely. He went on a pilgrimage all over the country, studying the conditions of the people. Wherever he went, his magnetic personality created a great impression. In 1893, Swami Vivekananda went to America to attend the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago. His powerful speech at the opening session of the Parliament brought him instant fame and acclaimed him as a great orator and the most ideal interpreter of India's wisdom. He instantly became very popular in America. Swami Vivekananda's powerful personality and his passionate call of service of the poor, is still influencing people all over India and the world. Swami Vivekananda arrived in America penniless and depending only on God's Grace. After the Parliament he began to receive the homage and hospitality of all America. He lectured at all the important centres. As a true Sannyasin he refused to sell religion for the sake of amassing money. He preached the gospel of unity of faiths and scattered the seeds of purity, knowledge and faith. After his stay of two years in America he toured England and Europe for three months. The tremendous ovation he received on his return to India in no way took his mind away from his mission of bringing religion to the doors of the poorest. His aim was to awaken the masses by reviving Vedic religion, and to clean it of the dross and impurity that had clung to it for so many centuries. In 1902 Swami Vivekananda entered Mahasamadhi. Six years of discipleship under Sri Ramakrishna had taken him to the realms of God-vision. Seven years of travelling in India had broadened his outlook on life. Nine years of a national and international career were all that were left for him; yet, how filled with glorious work those nine years were! Swami Vivekananda's gospel was one of hope, faith and strength. He never succumbed to despair, for he knew that India was capable of expansion and growth. His clarion call to the nation was: "Awake, arise, and stop not till the goal is reached." ************ Related Links

• Ramakrishna Mission (Belur Math)
• Sri Ramakrishna Math (Chennai)
• Advaita Ashrama Publications department of Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission.
• Links to Sri Ramakrishna's Branches
• Vivekananda Foundation
• The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda Online

Rabindranath Tagore [1861 - 1941 / Calcutta -India]

Rabindranath Tagore, the Nobel laureate poet, writer, philosopher was the ambassador of Indian culture to the rest of the world. He is probably the most prominent figure in the cultural world of Indian subcontinent and the first Asian person to be awarded with the Nobel prize. Even though he is mainly known as a poet, his multifaceted talent showered upon different branches of art, such as, novels, short stories, dramas, articles, essays, painting etc. And his songs, popularly known as Rabindrasangeet, have an eternal appeal and is permanently placed in the heart of the Bengalis. He was a social reformer, patriot and above all, a great humanitarian and philosopher. India and Bangladesh - the national anthems of these two countries are taken from his composition. ___________________________________________________________________

Tagore was born on Tuesday, 7th May 1861 in a wealthy family in Calcutta at the address of 6, Dwarakanath Thakur Lane, Calcutta. He was the ninth son of Debenadranath and Sarada Devi. His grand father Dwarakanath Tagore was a rich landlord and social reformer. Even though he was from a very wealthy family, in those days Jorasanko house ( Tagore house ) was a center of culture.

He was first admitted into Oriental Seminary School. But he did not like the conventional education and started home study under several teachers. Later he went to Normal School, Bengal Academy and St Xaviers School, but all lasted for brief periods. At the age of 7 he wrote a rhyme. Went to visit Northern part of India and Himalayas with this father.

In 1874, his first published poem Abhilaash(Desire) was published anonymously in a magazine called Tattobodhini. Poet's mother Sarada Devi expired in 1875 when he was 13 years old. For the first time a poem with credit to his name was published in Amritabazar Patrika (weekly). He translated Macbeth into Bengali verse which was later published in Bharati magazine. Following the style of Vaisnava Padalvali (verses), he wrote Bhanusingher Padavali under the penname of Bhanusingha. In the beginning of his literary works, there was impact of his elder brother Jyotirindranath and his wife Kadambari Devi. Two magazines, Bharati and Balaka - were used to get published from the Tagore house and he regularly contributed to those.

His first book of poems, Kabi Kahini ( tale of a poet ) was published in 1878. In the same year, he sailed to England with his brother Satyandranath. He got admitted into the University College in England and started studying under Prof Henry Morley. Retuned to India on 1880. Wrote two musical plays - Valmiki Prativa (The Genius of Valmiki) and Kalmrigaya (The Fatal Hunt ). Acted in these plays too. Left for England in 1881, but changed his mind and came back from Madras and went to Mussorie to meet his father. In 1882, he wrote Sandhya Sangeet ( Evening Songs ) which impressed Bankim Chandra Chatterjee so much that he conferred his garland on Tagore in a function. Wrote a famous poem - Nirjharer Swapnabhanga ( The Fountain Awakened from its Dream ).

Got married to Bhabatarini Devi in 1883 at the age of 22. Later her name was changed to Mrinalini Devi. In 1884 wrote a collection of poem - Kori-o-kamal (Sharp and Flats). Continued writing in different forms. His first child (daughter) Madhurilata was born in 1886. Wrote musical drama - Mayar Khela. Also wrote dramas - Raja-o-rani ( King and Queen) and Visarjan (Sacrifice). In 1890 daughter Renuka was born.

In 1890, Tagore went to Shilaidaha (now in Bangladesh) to look after the family estate. Here, he was influenced by the natural beauty and simple but elegant life of rural Bengal. Attended session of Indian National Congress and sang the song Vandemataram on the opening day. Wrote famous dance/musical drama - Chitrangada. His youngest daughter Mira was born in 1892. In 1894 , wrote famous collection poems - Sonar Tari (The Golden Boat). Son Samindra was born in 1894.

In 1901 he took the editorial charge of the magazine Bangadarshan. Got involved with freedom fighting movement. Established Bolpur Bramhacharyaashram at Shantiniketan, a school in the pattern of old Indian Ashrama. In 1902, his wife Mrinalini died. Composed Smaran ( In Memoriam ), a collection of poems, dedicated to his wife. Within six months from this incident his daughter Renuka expired. The demise of father Debendranath happened in 1905. He strongly protested Lord Curzon's decision to divide Bengal on the basis of religion. Wrote a number of national songs and attended protest meetings. He introduced the Rakhibandhan ceremony , symbolizing the underlying unity in undivided Bengal. Was shocked by the sudden death of son Samindra in 1907. In 1909 started writing Gitanjali from Silaidaha. Composed Janaganamana in 1911 which later was selected as the national anthem of India.

In 1912, journeyed to Europe for the second time. On the journey to London he translated some of his poems/songs from Gitanjali to English. He met William Rothenstein, a noted British painter, in London. He was first introduced to Rothenstein in Calcutta in a gathering at Abanindranath Tagore's house. Rothenstien was impressed by the poems, made copies and gave to Yeats and other English poets. Rothenstien arranged a reading in his house where Yeats read Tagore's poems in front of a distinguished audience comprising of Ezra Pound, May Sinclair, Ernest Rhys etc. Tagore sailed for America ( for the first time) from England. Reached New York, came to Urbana, Illinois, gave a lecture and then went to Chicago. In the mean time, India Society of London published Gitanjali (song offerings) containing 103 translated poems of Tagore. Yeats wrote the introduction for this book and Rothenstein did a pencil sketch for the cover page. The book created a sensation in English literary world. Tagore was traveling America then. Delivered lectures in Rochester, Boston, Harvard University.

Ezra Pound's Poetry Magazine published from Chicago had the honor of publishing first English poem of Tagore. His six Gitanjali poems appeared in Poetry in December, 1912 issue. Th epoet returned back to Calcutta. In 13th November of 1913, Indians came to know that the Nobel prize for literature has been awarded to Tagore for Gitanjali. On 26th Decemeber, University of Calcutta conferred on him the honorary degree of "D.Litt.". Received Knighthood in 1915.

Proceeded to Japan in 1916. On the way gave speech at Rangoon, Singapore, Hongkong. In Sep 1916, got invitation from different institutions in USA and reached Seattle (Washington). Lectured at Portland, San Fransisco, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Salt Lake City, Chicago, Iowa, Milwakee, Detroit, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Boston. At Columbia Theatre, New York read translation from his novel Raja. Returned to Calcutta in 1917. In 1918, his eldest daughter Madhurilata passed away.

In 1919, the poet started a tour to South India. Delivered lectures on different topics at Bangalore, Mysroe, Ooty, Coimbatore, Palghat, Salem, Trichy, Sirangapatnam, Kumbakonam, Tanjore and Madras. At Madras spoke as Chancellor of National University, founded by Annie Besant and stayed as a guest of Mr. Besant at Adyar. In 1919, he wrote a historic letter to Lord Chelmsford repudiating his Knighthood in protest of the massacre at Jalianwalabag, Punjab. In 1920 he went to Gandhiji's Sabarmati Ashram and visited Ahmedabad, Surat and Bombay. Call came from Europe again in 1920. Toured different places in England and Paris, Hague , Brussells. Travelled from Europe to America. Delivered lectures at New York, Princeton, Chicago and came back to Europe. His effort to raise fund for Viswabharati was not very fruitful in America, mostly because he was seen as anti-British and pro-German. He continued talks at Geneva, Zurich, Humburg, Copenhaegen, Stockholm, Berlin, Frankfurt, Vienna, Prague and in other cities.

In 1921, established Viswabharati University. He gave all his money from Nobel Prize and royalty money from his books to this University. Went to Bombay and from there to Poona. Visited and lectured at Mysore, Bangalore,Coimbatore, Trivandam, Cochin and Colombo. Got invitation from China and visited Sanghai, Peiking. Visited Japan again in this tour. Went to South America. Met Argentine poet Madam Victoria Ocampo at Buenos Ayres. The poet gave her a name ,Vijaya and wrote Purabi - a collection of poems dedicated to her. On the return journey visited Italy and lectured in Milan, Venice, Florence. Mahatma Gandhi visited Santiniketan in poet's birthday. In 1926 visited Dacca, Moimonsingha, Comilla (all now in Bangladesh). Visited Europe again and this time went to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Czechslovakia, Huungary, Bulgaria, Rumania, Greece and Egypt. In 1927 went to Malayasia, Java, Thailand. In 1929 Canada. In 1930 Russia. In 1932 Iran, Iraq. And in 1934 to SriLanka.

In 1940 Oxford University arranged a special ceremony in Santiniketan to honor the poet with Doctorate Of Literature. Tagore passed away on 7th August, 1941 in his ancestral home in Calcutta, the house where he was born.

A collection of Tagore's Poems: You may click on the link below to view the e-book

165 poems of Rabindranath Tagore

Shirdi Sai Baba

Samadhi Mandir of Shri Sai Baba was actually owned by a millionaire from Nagpur, a famous Sai devotee Shreemant Gopalrao. Gopalrao wanted to keep an idol of Murlidhar here. However, Baba himself became Murlidhar and the Mandir became the Samadhi Mandir of Baba. The Mandir is built with stones and Baba's Samadhi is built with white marble stones. A railing is built in marble around the Samadhi and is full of ornamental decorations. In front of the Samadhi are two silver pillars full of decorative designs. Just behind the Samadhi is Sai Baba's marvelous statue made of Italian marble, which shows him seated on a throne. Late Balaji Vasant made this idol.

Dwarkamai: Shri Sai Baba came to Shridhi with a marriage procession. He stayed at Dwarkamai till the very end of his life. Dwarkamai is situated on the right side of the entrance of Samadhi Mandir. Here he solved problems of the people, cured their sickness and worries. Before Baba's arrival in Shridhi, Dwarkamai was an old mosque in a dilapidated condition. Baba turned it into Dwarkamai and proved that God is one. The first level of Dwarkamai has a portrait of Baba and a big stone on which Baba used to sit. This level has two rooms. One contains the chariot and the second a palkhi. Just in front of the room where the chariot is kept is a small temple. A saffron flag flies over it.

The second level of Dwarkamai has a square stool made of stone, which Baba used for taking a bath. The main attraction of this place is the oil painting of Shri Sai Baba sitting in a carved wooden shrine. This level also has the grinding stone and the wooden vessel called Kolamba in which Baba used to keep the Bhiksha brought from the village.

Gurusthan: Sai Baba first came to Shridhi in the form of Bal Yogi - a child ascetic. He was first spotted seated under a Neem tree. This place came to be known as Gurusthan. The renovation of Gurusthan was made on 30th September 1941. The present temple was built after this period. There is a small shrine in Gurusthan. On a elevated platform of this shrine a big portrait of Baba is placed. On the side is a marble statue of Baba. In front of the portrait are a Shivling and the Nandi. Photos of twelve Jyotirlingas are kept in the temple. The branches of the Neem tree have come out through the roof of the temple.

At a short distance lies Baba's CHAVADI. Baba used to sleep here every alternate day. The Chavadi is divided into two parts. One part of the Chavadi has a large portrait of Baba along with a wooden bed and a white chair belonging to him.There is a cottage of Abdul Baba, an ardent devotee of Shri Sai Baba, in front of the Chavadi. Abdul Baba looked after the Lendi Baug. There are photos and various things, which were handled by Sai Baba and Abdul Baba in the cottage.

Lendi Baug: At some distance from Gurusthan there is the Lendi Baug. This Baug was made and watered daily by Baba himself. It got its name from a Nalla (a drain), which used to previously flow there. Baba used to come here every morning and afternoon and take rest under a Neem tree. Baba dug a pit, 2 feet deep, under the Neem tree and kept a Deep lit in that pit. One octangular Deepgriha called Nanda Deep has been built in marble stone in memory of this place. It constantly burns in a glass box. On one side of the Deepgriha is a Peepal tree and on the other side is a Neem tree. Some distance away is a Datta Mandir below an Audumbar tree. In the Mandir there is a statue of Datta built in marble stone. The statue of Datta was installed on 6th December 1976. Just behind the Datta Mandir is a Samadhi of the horse, Shyamsundar which belonged to Baba and which used to bow to him.

Khandoba Mandir: This temple is situated on the main road. In front of this temple Baba was welcomed by Poojari Mhalsapati, of this temple, saying "Aao Sai", when Baba stepped in Shridi. In this temple there are icons of Khandoba, Banai and Mhalsai.

How to reach there: By Air The nearest airport to Shirdi is at Nashik, 75kms away, Aurangabad is at a distance of 150kms, which is connected by all the major towns of India. You can also come till Mumbai by air and travel down to 296kms to reach Shirdi. Mumbai has both international and domestic airports that grant connectivity to the world. Domestic airport in Pune is about 231kms from Shirdi. There are regular public and private transport operators that ensure your easy access to the sanctum of Saibaba. By Rail/Train Kopergaon on Daund-Manmad Line is an important railway station about 16kms from Shirdi. This station is on the route of the Karnataka Express from New Delhi to Bangalore. Manmad is another important station about 58kms from Shirdi which carries a number trains from Mumbai and Delhi. Shirdi has a computerized Railway Ticket Booking Center within the temple premises. From here you can have railway tickets of whichever destination all through India.

By Road Shirdi can be reached by taking a Bus from almost all major cities of Maharashtra. Shirdi is on the Ahmednagar-Manmad Highway, 250 km from Mumbai and 75 km from Nashik. MTDC runs buses from all major destinations.

******************************** Listen sai bhajan:- by Anoop Jalota

Listen non stop:- Bhajans by Lata Mangeshkar Bhajans by Anup Jaolota Bhajans by Manhar Udhas

NANDANAAR

The Tamizh month of ‘Purattasi’ when the star ‘Rohini’ is on the ascent is said to be the day whence Nandanaar mingled with His Beloved Lord Siva in Chidambaram. Let me bring before you the divine life history of the great devotee Nandanaar! A Holy place ('kshetra’) is remembered not so much for the Deity there as for the devotee associated with the place. When we visit any holy place, we are at once reminded of the name and life-sketch of the devotees who were devoted to the deity there. Thus the name of the holy Chidambaram (a temple-town in Tamil Nadu) brings to our mind Nandanaar, one of the 63 ‘Nayanmars’ (the prominent devotees of Lord Siva). The life history of Nandanaar, in ‘Periyapuranam’ (a piece of literature that extols the lives of the 63 ‘Nayanmars’), depicts the deep devotion that this humble devotee had for Lord Siva and the grace of Lord Siva in conferring His love on His devotees, going beyond all worldly considerations like caste and creed.

Nandanaar was born in what was then classified as a low caste, in a slum in Adhanur village on the banks of River Kollidam (in Tamil Nadu). He worked as a farm hand of a landlord in the village. Exemplary in character, born out of his devotion to his Lord, he served his landlord sincerely. He served Lord Siva as much as he could. He made drums out of cow hide and also musical instruments such as 'yaazh', 'iyazhai' from the guts of animals and offered them to the temple for use in worship. Deeply devoted to Lord Siva, the Divine Name of his favorite Lord constantly played on his tongue. How deep was Nandanaar’s yearning for his Lord! Today, we speak of ‘Nama Siddantha’. It was Nandanaar who first propounded ‘Nama siddhanta’! He gathered the people in his neighborhood and pleaded with them to sing the Name of the Lord He pleaded, “Chant Namah SivAya! Namah SivAya! Chant Umapathe! Chant SAmbasivAya!” The people of the slum objected and refused to chant the Name of Lord Siva while they had their own deities. They said to him, “Nanda! Why do you insist on our chanting tongue twisting Names?” But Nandanaar was not to be bogged down by their disinterest and opposition. Amidst them lived a dumb girl who everyone called ‘Oomacchhi’ (dumb girl in Tamil language). Nandanaar advised the people, “Say ‘Oomacchi vA’!” (oh, the dumb! come!). So, they all called out to her, “Oomacchi vA! Oomacchi va!” and it sounded as ‘Uma Ch(S)iva!’ Nandanaar thus succeeded in making the Lord’s Divine Name play on the tongue of those who could not even utter it! In this way all the people around began chanting the Name of the Lord. Quite frequently he gathered the people of his slum around him and engaged them in chanting the Divine Names of the Lord. Ever since people joined Nandanaar in performing Nama Kirtan, none went to attend to his work in the fields, on time. So those affected by this tried to bring ‘sense’ into Nanda through a local leader of their slum. All of them together approached Nandanaar. They said to him, “Nanda! You are forever singing the Nama. Will singing the Nama earn food?” (‘Namam pAdi kondirundAl soru kidaikuma?’) Nanda replied, “Even the dog eats food. But can it chant ‘Bhagavan Nama’ - the Name of the Lord? (‘nAyum kooda choru thinnum Namam pAdumo?’) Nandanaar nurtured the deep desire to visit Lord Siva's Temple at Thiruppungur. Thiruppungur is about 4 kms from Vaitheeswaran Koil (a famous temple town in Tamil Nadu). Here, Lord Siva bears the name ‘Sivalokanathan’. One day, picking up courage, Nandanaar spoke about his desire to his landlord and sought his permission to visit Thiruppungur to have darshan of his beloved Lord. It was only that day the 40 acres of land had been ploughed and seeds sown. It would take at least another six months for the harvest. To put him off, the landlord told Nandanaar, “Hey, Nanda! Once they are ready for harvest you may leave for Thiruppungur!” A disappointed and grief stricken Nandanaar went to bed. In a divine dream he saw that the grains had grown to full and the vast field of his employer was all set for harvest! He immediately rushed to the fields and found it to be true and not just a dream. He could not believe his eyes. In that hour of the night he ran up to his landlord's house and called out to him, "Sir! Please come out. Come with me to the fields. They are ready for harvest!" Hearing the loud call of his farm hand, the landlord rushed out and hearing him repeat his request said to him, "Oh, mad fellow! Have you lost your wits totally due to your devotion to Lord Siva?" But Nandanaar insisted on the landlord accompanying him to the field. The landlord accompanied him and lo! What did his eyes behold? The field was all set for harvest! He could not believe what he saw. Well! How did these fields get ready for harvest overnight? The Lord is omnipotent. Is anything impossible for the Almighty? However, an interesting feature is shown here. Inside the Temple of Madurai Meenakshi is the sanctum of Lord Ganesha bearing the name Mukkuruni Pillaiyar. Three ‘kurunni’ (a measure) of grains are used to make ‘modaka’ ( a dish made of rice flour) for offering to this Ganesha, and hence the name. Legends have it that everyone teased Ganesha for sitting idle with his pot belly. So, Ganesha decided to find some employment! Taking the form of a young boy, he approached a devotee of his who was working on the fields and offered to assist him. This man asked, "How much wage do you expect?" Ganesha in the form of a young boy said, "Three ('moonru') 'kurunnai' grains”. At the end of the work he earned the grains and returned home happily. Ganesha went to his father Lord Siva and gave it to him. Lord Siva who behaves like a mad one (‘pithhan’) knows not what He does. He took the grains from Ganesha and emptied the whole sack on his own head! Lord Siva's head was already filled with sand that He had thrown over His head in play while participating in the construction of the embankment on behalf of His devotee Vandi (the famous episode which talk about Lord Siva carrying sand during the floods in the Vaigai river, in return for ‘pittu’). He held the Ganga on His head. When the Lord now emptied the sack of grains over His head, it sprouted up! So, when he wondered what to do with these, Nandanaar’s dire requirement came in and the Lord blessed him with these! The landlord realizing the greatness of Nandanaar's Bhakti fell at his feet, seeking his pardon. The landlord also helped him in his journey to Tiruppungur. Nandanaar gathered all the people from his slum and went to have darshan of Lord Sivalokanatha in Tiruppungur. There is a Ganesha here known by the name ‘kullam vettiya Vinayakar’ (Ganesha who dug a pond). It is said that this Ganesha dug a pond for Nandanaar and his people to bathe! In those days people considered to be from low caste were not permitted to enter temples. So, they had to have darshan of the Lord from outside the gate. To the dismay of Nandanaar the huge ‘Nandi’ (the Divine Bull of Lord Siva) in this temple obstructed his view of the Lord. The great carnatic music composer,Gopalakrishna Bharati has sung the kirtan: ‘chatre vilagiyirum pillAi! sannidhi maraikudu’ (Oh! ‘Nandi;! Please move aside, for, you are blocking the Sanctum Sanctorum!). It is not Nandanaar who requested ‘Nandi’ to move aside but it was Lord Siva who made the request as He desired to see His devotee!' This is the reason that the ‘Nandi’ here sits aside, even today (and not in straight line with Lord Siva in the sactum sactorum). And, one can also find the two 'dwArapAlAs' (sentinels at the Lord's Sanctum Sanctorum) in a bending position, as if trying to see this great devotee that their Lord desired to see! This is the Holy place where ‘Nandi’ moved aside so that Nandanaar and his people could have the Lord’s darshan. It is said that Nandanaar earned this name as he made Nandi move! Nandanaar's joy knew no bounds on receiving darshan of his Beloved Lord. Elated, he wished to offer his services to the Lord in some way. He, therefore, dug a pond before returning to his village with his people. Nandanaar now deeply yearned to visit Chidambaram (the Holy Place of Lord Siva known as 'Bhoo loka KailAs' - Kailash on earth). Chidambaram was not too far from the village where he lived. Somehow this remained only a dream for a long time. People knew of his deep yearning to visit Chidambaram and would, therefore, ask him, "Hey, Nanda! when do you propose to leave for Chidambaram?" Nandanaar would say, "Tomorrow!" This was his reply every time anybody enquired this of him. Thus he earned the name ‘ThirunALaipovAr!” - one who would leave for Chidambaram on the morrow ('nALai povAr' means 'go on the morrow'). He kept saying, “I am leaving for 'Thillai' (Chidambaram) tomorrow!” Poor Nanda was criticized by everyone and he earned the name ‘ThirunAllaipovAr’!

While Nandanaar worked on the field some pilgrims would come up to him and enquire of him, “Thillai ambalathukku pogumo ivazhi" - does this road lead to the temple at Chidambaram?" Feeling thrilled to hear the very name 'Thillai' (Chidambaram) he woud yearn to hear it again. So, instead offering a reply, he would plead with them, "Innum oru dharam solungallaiya!" - please utter that Name ('Thillai') once again! "oh, what did you say? Please say it again!” Thinking that he had not heard him, the pilgrims would repeat their question, "Does this road lead to 'Thillai' (Chidambaram)?" The very name 'Thillai' would throw him into ecstasy! The very sound ‘Thillai’ was melodious to his ears due to his deep desire to have darshan of Lord Nataraja (Siva). He would, therefore, tell them, "Oh, please repeat your question once more!" It would go on like this and those who had stopped to enquire would leave, mistaking him to be a crazy fellow! At last one fine day his dream came true. He set out for Chidambaram by foot. The deep desire to have darshan of the Lord inside the Sanctum Sanctorum of Chidambaram temple took hold of him. But when Nandanaar reached Chidambaram, remembering his birth in what was then considered a low caste, he hesitated to step into the holy town. Tired after the long walk he slumped down outside the holy town. But would the gracious, compassionate Lord, a devotee of the devotees, turn a blind eye to the plight of His devotee? Is He not verily the indweller of all? Would He then not hear the murmur of the devotee's loved filled heart? Lord Siva deeply moved by His beloved devotee appeared in the dream of the temple priests and informed them of his great devotee outside and instructed them to build a fire through which His devotee would enter and come out unscathed. This was only to illustrate the glory of His devotee to the world. The priests rushed out in all eagerness to meet this great devotee who the Lord Himself desired to receive. They informed him of the Lord's order. The priests then built a fire which Nandanaar entered and came out unscathed. With due respect and honor, the priests guided him through the town to the temple. Nandanaar had darshan of the 'gopuram' (Tower) of the temple and entered the temple. Nandanaar rushed to the Sanctum Sanctorum in all eagerness to meet his Lord and mingled with Him and attained beatitude.

SRI NARAYANA THIRTHAR

There are numerous devotees who have sung the glory of Lord Krishna in their native tongues – Oothukkaadu Venkata Subbaiyer in Tamil, Purandaradasa in Kannada, Pandarpur devotees in Marathi, Meera Bai in Hindi, etc. These devotees’ songs don’t accord as much importance to the raga and tala of the music as it does to the meaning and the divine emotions conveyed. Yet, many a Mahan has given equal weightage to music and divine emotions in their songs, Saint Thiyagaraja being an example. It is the same with Muthuswamy Deekshitar and Shyama Shastri also. Jayadeva composed the Gita Govinda (Ashtapadi) in Sanskrit. Another great Saint was Sri Narayana Thirthar. He has composed kirtans in Telugu and Sanskrit. The Krishna Janmashtami festival is celebrated in a grand manner in a hamlet called Varahur, near Tanjavur in Tamil Nadu, thanks to Sri Narayana Thirthar. His compositions called “Krishna Lila Tarangini” are accorded great respect and recognition in Nama Sankirtan and music concerts alike. Although these songs portray the divine plays of young Lord Krishna, scholars opine that it is verily the essence of Srimad Bhagavatam. In the village called Villathur in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh was born Sri Narayana Thirthar to Sri Neelakanta Shastri. When he reached the marriageable age, Sri Narayana Thirthar entered into wedlock and ran the household. Once when he was about to cross a river, Narayana Thirthar was caught in the raging floods. He immediately prayed to the Lord and embraced ‘Aapat Sanyasa’ right there. (‘Aapat Sanyasa’ is vow of sanyas undertaken for relief from some grave danger). The waters immediately subsided and Narayana Thirthar returned home forgetting his vow. His wife, who knew through divine intuition that her husband had embraced Sanyasa, questioned him as to why he came home after having taken Sanyasa Deeksha! Such is the power of the truth in Mahans’ words that the moment they utter a statement, it becomes truth. Later, he was formally initiated into Sanyasa through a guru. Following his Guru’s instruction, Narayana Thirthar undertook pilgrimage. After visits to holy shrines like Tirupati he came to Govindapuram, near Kumbakonam, in Tamil Nadu. As per his Guru’s wish, he came there to have darshan of Sri Bodendra Swami; but unfortunately Sri Bodendra Swami had already attained ‘Jiva Samadhi’. He then visited various holy towns in and around the banks of river Kaveri. At this point of time he contracted severe stomach ache. In spite of visiting many holy places, he was not cured of his stomach ache. Once, when he was sleeping in a Ganesha temple in a village called Nadukkaveri, Lord Krishna appeared in his dreams and said, “When you wake up, you will see an animal. Follow the animal and you will be relieved of your stomach ache.” When Narayana Thirthar woke up, he saw a boar. It is considered a bad omen to sight a boar on waking up! And now, he had to follow the boar! As it was a divine instruction, he sincerely followed the white boar for about a distance of 4 kms. He became too tired to follow the boar further. Just then, the animal disappeared into the temple and he heard a voice: “Search not for me! It is I who brought you here!” Narayana Thirthar's joy knew no bounds when he realized that the Lord who had incarnated as a boar had taken the form of a boar now and had led him there! Strange are the ways the Lord adopts to win over His devotees. That very moment, Narayana Thirthar’s stomach ache vanished. The incident in which Lord Siva appeared as a Brahmin to Sundaramurthy Nayanar and disappeared into a temple, another involving Tirunavukkarasar where Lord Siva cured him of his stomach ache and this incident in the Life of Narayana Thirthar, all go to show that the Lord is indeed a conjurer of divine plays! Thenceforth that town Bhoopatirajapuram was called Varahur. Lord Venkatesa Perumal decorates the temple here. It is said that He had given ‘Viswaroopa Darshan’ (darshan of the colossal form of the Lord) to Narayana Thirthar. Narayana Thirthar’s kirtans on Lord Krishna are filled with devotion and warmth. It is said that he would hear the jingling of anklets of the Divine Couple Radha-Krishna whenever he sang. Through his numerous kirtans, Sri Narayana Thirthar encouraged the traditional Bhajana Sampradhaya and shone as a Guru to a huge number of followers. `Sri Krishna Leela Tharangini," is his narration of the story of Sri Krishna from His birth up to His marriage with Rukmini. It is a literary masterpiece, composed in Yakshagana style with 12 Tarangams, consisting of 145 kirtans, 267 verses, 30 gadyams (prose passages) and 30 darus (narrative songs). Legends have it that Sri Narayana Tirthar attained Siddhi at a nearby village called Tirupoonthuruti under a huge mango tree, on the banks of river Kudamurutti, on the Masi Sukla Ashtami day when the Kritika star was on the ascent. A small shrine has been constructed on this hallowed spot, under the sprawling mango tree. Those who visit the holy kshetra of Varahur with devotion and faith are sure to reap the grace of Lord Venkatesa Perumal and the blessings of the Guru.

BHAKTA CHOKAMELA

Pandarpur is glorified as the bazaar of Nama. The most favorite of the presiding deity, Panduranga is Nama Kirtan. There have not been as many bhaktas for any other deities as there have been for Panduranga. The icing on the cake is the fact that these great devotee-saints have belonged to different castes, creeds, races and sects - a standing example to show that the Lord does not distinguish based on such mundane worldly classifications. The sketch of a Bhakta by name Chokamela...

Bhakta Chokamela:

Long ago, in the holy Kshetra of Pandarpur(in present day Maharashtra), there lived a great devotee of Lord Sri Panduranga (who was none other than Lord Sri Krishna himself) by name Chokamela. Sri Chokamela’s hailed from a slum and as was customary those days the inhabitants were not permitted to enter the temple. Though Lord Panduranga saw no difference between his devotees based on their birth, colour, race, wealth, region or religion, the selfish world did! To the Lord, the only thing that mattered was the depth of one’s devotion. The friends, relatives and neighbours of Chokamela led lives without any values, orderliness or sense of direction. They ate whatever they wanted; slept whenever/wherever they wished and were addicted to all sorts of bad habits such as alcoholism. Like a beautiful lotus that blooms in a stinking marsh, Chokamela though, led the life of a pure Vaishnava. He would wake early in the morning, have a bath, wear Tulsi maala and Gopi chandan and chant the divine names of the Lord. As he was not permitted to enter the temple of Lord Sri Panduranga, he stood near the compound wall and sang the divine names joyfully. Constantly, he advised his kith and kin to mend their ways and about how it was very easy to win the grace of God by simply chanting his Divine Names. Though they all mocked at him in the beginning, gradually his purity and goodwill won their hearts and they gave all their vices. Following his example, all of them woke up early in the morning and accompanied him to the temple where they all stood outside the compound wall chanting the lord’s glorious names. Lord Panduranga Himself relished every nama they chanted, much more than the puja offered by the priests. Like Nandanar, the great devotee of Lord Sri Shiva, Chokamela too, had transformed the entire slum. They were all a group of pure-hearted bhagavatas now.

Naturally, this was not liked by the priests of the temple. Though Chokamela and his group did not in any way interfere with the temple proceedings, the priests hurled abuses at them and told them that they had no right to worship to God. As is the nature of any Sadhu, Chokamela too, did not want to argue with the priests or fight with them. He thought if that was the way that Panduranga wanted it, he would stay at home and worship the Lord. From that day onwards, Chokamela stopped going to the temple. He would stay at home and meditate upon the Lord. He saw all the pujas in his mind’s eye itself. The experience was blissful. Time came when Panduranga decided to enact his divine play. One night, after the priests had completed the puja and locked the temple, Panduranga came to Chokamela’s humble abode. Chokamela’s joy knew no bounds. He cried thinking of the Lord’s compassion and totally lost himself in the happiness. The Lord told Chokamela that he would fulfill any wish of his. Chokamela immediately replied “Lord! There can be no greater thing to wish for, than your darshan. Now that you have blessed me with that, I beg of you to show me your temple. I have never been inside even once in my lifetime” In a flash, the Lord took him inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple and they talked with each other all night long. The conversation was so fascinating that time flew away and it was morning already. The priests opened the doors of the temple and were shocked to find Chokamela inside the sanctum sanctorum. They cursed him and took him to the King. “This man who hails from the slum has entered the temple. Your majesty should punish him appropriately” they said. Chokamela replied “I did not go there on my own. How could I have gone inside after the door was locked? The Lord himself took me inside”. Nobody was willing to believe his words and they all alleged that he was a magician. The king, without proper enquiry, punished him by banishing him from Pandarpur. He ordered that Chokamela should not live inside Pandarpur and that none from the town should have any contact with him. Chokamela silently accepted this also as the will of God. He put up a hut on the opposite banks of the river Chandrabhaga and continued with his life as before. He and his wife would fast on Ekadasi day and on Dwadasi day, they had the most special visitor one can ever wish for to have a meal at their abode – the Lord himself. This became a routine affair.

On a particular Dwadasi day, Chokamela was seen beating and cursing his wife. The priests from the temple who had come to the river witnessed that scene and felt sorry for the poor woman. “ You have lost all your respect and commitment. Is this the way to serve the Lord? You have committed a great sin by spilling curd on his robe, careless woman!” Chokamela screamed. These words of Chokamela shocked the priest. They told each other “Oh! What is he saying? He is saying that the Lord has come to take food in his place. How can that be? He is definitely mocking at us. The punishment has not taught him a lesson. He has become more arrogant! We should report him to the king again’ Saying so, they went to the temple and opened the doors. What they witnessed was the most unbelievable sight. The robes of the Lord were drenched in curd. They could not believe their own eyes. “Chokamela was right after all. Lord Panduranga had been to his place. Oh! What a blunder we have committed by insulting and ill-treating a true Mahatma. Let us all go and seek his pardon. Only then the Lord will accept us” they all said in one voice and rushed to Sri Chokamela’s hut. They all narrated the happenings and fell at Chokamela’s feet. Chokamela though, was embarrassed by this act of the priests. He said with tears in his eyes ‘Great Priests! I am just a humble servant of Panduranga. Please do not fall at my feet. I am speck of dust!”

The entire town and the king realized the greatness of Sri Chokamela and hailed his bhakti. The Lord had once again enacted a divine play to make the world understand true devotion.