Tantra in daily life (Part 3)

Dasami thithi comes bang after the trying duo of Ashtami/ Navami. "Ashtami Navamulu Kashtapu Dinamulu", my mother keeps repeating my grand father's words, which means, "Ashtami Navami are difficult days". It is believed from times of yore that these two days that come one after the other are filled with negativity and therefore subject mankind to unexpected difficulties through obstacles and misfortune. Sri Rama Navami and Sri Krishna Ashtami are reminders that Divinity is all encompassing, leaving no scope for negativity. I also associate Ashtami with "Durga Ashtami" and Navami with Nava Durga.
An elderly priest once advised me to have oil baths on Dasami thithis. This practice (of having oil bath on Dasami thithi) would remove all negativity/misfortune subsequently yielding peace, joy and prosperity to the practitioner. Since Dasami comes right after Ashtami/Navami, it is possible that through oil bath we are cleansing by way of oil bath all the accumulated negativity of the previous two days! It doesn't harm to even give the house a thorough cleaning or changing the linen on a Dasami.
While on Durga, the Guardian Angel, (lexigram/anagram of DURGA is GUARD), it is advisable to stick Her picture on the main entrance door to ward off evil and negativity. The powerful image of Goddess Durga on the main door offers protection to the residents inside the house.
Even if spirituality is all about elevated thinking and contemplation of God, a simple practice in daily life brings about an instant rejuvenation of mind and life in general. If one's pooja room consists of very few photographs of Gods and Goddesses, the task would be simpler. Better still, if there is only one photograph or a just a couple of more God photos in the prayer room. More the photos, tougher the task!
Wash the photos (if difficult to remove, just wipe with a wet cloth and then with a dry cloth) clean. Make a wet paste of sandalwood powder. With devotion mark the key points of Gods'/Goddesses' images which are the forehead (between eyebrows), all the hands and feet, heart region with the sandal paste. On top of the paste stick red kumkum/vermillion. This procedure instantly cleanses, energises amd enhances the divinity of the act/subject and the doer, merging them into one. The resulting divinity and prosperity has to be enjoyed to be believed!
(To be continued...........)

Sri Venkateshwara

kAraNaparachidrUpAyai namaH matsyakUrmavaraahaadinAnArUpavidhAriNyai namaH veMkAro.amR^itabIjastu kUTamaishwarmamuccvhyate | amR^itaishwarya saMghatvaadvenkaTAdri iti smR^itaH || [vArAhe 36-32] The hill that grants eternal bliss is Venkatachala. Or, Vem refers to sin and kata, to destroy. That hill which destroys the sins is called Venkatadri. The lord of such a hill is called Venkatesha or Venkatadrisha. From time immemorial, the formless Brahman has been worshipped in his saguNa aspect as Shiva, Shakti, Vishnu, Surya, Skanda and Ganapati. Followers of each of these forms claim their chosen deity to be superior over the rest, ignoring the lofty truth of the Upanishads, which proclaim that the Parabrahman is formless and that these murtis represent the saguNa aspect of the same Brahman. Does Sri Venkatesha at Tirumala represent Vishnu, Shiva, Shakti or Subrahmanya? This question has been raised, answered and contested by several individuals and sects for several centuries now. Sri Venkatesha has been worshipped by Jains worshipped as Adimuleshwara, Vaishanavas as Srinivasa, Shaivas as Harishankara and Shaktas as Sri Bala Tripurasundari. There are enough reasons to associate this mUrti with Shiva, Shakti, Vishnu and Subrahmanya. I will not list the reasons why this mUrti is associated with Srimannarayana as these are already well known. Association of Sri Venkateshwara with Lord Mahadeva and his parivAra: 1. Early Azhwars [Vaishnavaite saints] praised Venkateshwara as a blend of Hari and Hara. In some of the older pasurams of Azhwars, the lord is said to have worn Chakra and Parashu, signifying Hari-Hara-Samaikya Murti But after the advent of Ramanujacharya, this practice was severely discouraged. By this time, Shaivaites called him Shiva and Vaishnavaites called him Vishnu. This becomes clear after one reads several shAsanas in the name of a local king called Thalalu Gosina Yadava Rayalu. He was a staunch devotee of Ramanuja who beheaded 101 Shaivas who claimed Venkatesha to be Shiva. For his staunch adherence to Sri Vaishnava philosophy, he was honored by Ramanuja with the title Sri Bhashya, to be named after him. We find the mention of this king with the epithet Sribhashya Yadava Rayulu. It is said that the original deity at Venkatachala did not sport Shamkha or Chakra or even the Srivaishnava Tilaka we see today. After a series of conflicts between Shaivaite and Vaishnavaite assemblies in Kalahasti and Tirupati, Ramanuja fitted Shankha and Chakra to the hind wrists of the original deity. 2. The Mula mantra of Venkatesha is of nine and eight letters [ashtakshari and navakshari], both of which refer to Venkatesha and not Srinivasa. Traditional Vaishnavaites have always preferred to use Srinivasa and not Venkateshwara as the word 'Isha', though meaning 'Lord' in general terms, was always seen with suspicion as only referring to Lord Shiva. Also, the Dhyana Shlokas for these mantras [given in Brahmanda and Brahmavaivarta Puranas] refer to nAgabhUshana and Srivatsa chinha which suggest a Hari-Hara murti. 3. It is a practice to worship Srinivasa with Bilwa during Dhanurmasa. Bilwa is very sacred for Shivarchana and traditional Vaishnanas stay away from Bilwa, though it is recorded as sacred for the worship of Mahalakshmi as well. 4. The idol of Srinivasa has a jaTA - matted hair, which is a lakshana of Shaiva Murtis. 5. On Shivaratri day, all archakas of the temple visit Kshetrapalas and Abhisheka is performed according to Shaivagama. Though Srivaishnavaite scholars claim this to be non-traditional, this practice is still in vogue. This is suggestive of a greater celebration on this day in the main shrine itself in the bygone days, which has now seemingly got reduced to a customary visit of the Kshetrapalaka. In fact, this is similar to the worship offered to the Shiva Linga behind Lord Narasimha in Ahobilam in the cave, neglected on all days other than on Shivaratri. 6. On Vinayaka Chaturthi, Modakas or Kadubu is offered to Lord Venkatadrisha, suggesting his swarUpa as Lord Mahaganapati. 7. Shiva Rahasya, an Itihasa, describes Venkatadri as the abode of Lord Subrahmanya in his form as a VaTu, without a consort. It is described that the famous tIrtha - swAmi puShkariNi - is named after swAminAtha or kumAra swAmi. This is also indicated by the Sahasranama of Venkateshwara which has the nama: swamidhyeyaya namaH, one who is meditated upon by Kumaraswami. According to some legends, Vishnu and Subrahmanya worshipped Dakshinamurti in the hill of Venkatam and attained oneness with each other and the Lord. Another name, kartikeyavapushe namaH is suggestive of the same. 8. Also, from the story of Venkateshwara, one can see an episode where he emerges from an anthill, suggesting his oneness with Subrahmanya. It is very common to find names such as Venkatasubbayya or Venkatasubrahmanyam in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, indicating this forgotten aspect. Also, one should carefully understand the Muttuswami Dikshitar Krti - subrahmaNyena rakShitoham - in Suddha Dhanyasi: venkateshwara namarUpeNa, vichitra vishAkhA mahotsavena. This was later modified as venkateshwara vibhavitena, probably by Semmangudi mama, but pAtti's (DKP) version has the former pATha. 9. The Venkatesha Sahasranama goes like this: venatesho virUpAkSho vishwesho vishwabhavanaH, the very second name indicating his shiva swarUpa. Every hymn, in the first verse, conveys the gist of the entire hymn by indicating the central focus of the hymn, the path or the philosophy adopted to elaborate on the chosen subject etc. The first verse has no mention of any of the popular epithets of Vishnu at all. Exactly 500 names apply to Shiva in this Sahasranama and 500 to Vishnu. 10. The feet of the idol is underground, which is a necessity for all Shiva murtis according to kAmikAgama Association of Sri Venkateshwara to Sridevi: 1. Lord has Simha Niketanam [emblem is a couchant lion] which is peculiar to forms of Sridevi everywhere. 2. The special annual festival of the Lord is performed during Sharannavaratri, special to Sri Lalita. 3. Swami is bathed in Manjal or turmeric every friday, which is generally a prescribed practice for Amba [Durvasa Samhita, 29-6]. 4. To this day, auttareyas worship Lord as Balaji - non-different from Sri Bala Tripurasundari, and it is believed that the prosperity of this shrine is due to a Srichakra established by Adi Shankara somewhere on this hill. 5. Lord's waist is very slender which, according to sAmudrikA shAstra, is characteristic of Ambika. 6. Lord's hair is very long, reaching the knee, again characteristic of Ambika. The Gayatri associated with Venkateshwara Ashtakshari is: OM vekateshAya vidmahe tripatinAthAya dhiimahi tanno sriinivAsaH prachodayAt || What we currently refer to as Tirupati, is a distortion of `Tripati'. Tripati is the original name of the place, metaphorically referring to Ajna chakra, where the three nADis iDA, pingaLA and suShumnA join. Lord, situated above this hill in an elevated place, which is sahasrAra, is tripatIsha or vekatesha. Tripati also refers to that Brahma Vastu, who is the Lord of three kUTas - vAgbhava, kAmarAja and shakti, which form the three elements of the mantra of Sri Bala Tripurasundari. Or, tripadi is an alternate reading, which refers to Kundalini Shakti residing in a triangle or trikona in mUlAdhAra, who reaches her Lord Paramashiva, called here as Venkatesha or tripadi-Isha residing on the seventh hill of Sahasrara, after crossing the six chakras [mUlAdhara to AjnA], represented by six hills. Thus, it would be limiting to exclusively associate Sri Venkateshwara with Shiva, Shakti, Vishnu, Subrahmanya or Ganapati. He represents any/all of them. Today someone orwarded an article written by yet another Professor at some Western University who wrote endlessly on how Samayachara was extinct, a concoction of Brahmins [Brahmin-bashing I thought was Karunanidhi's patent, by the way the latest I heard was that the Brahmins were responsible for global warming, for Bush's war in Iraq and for the outbreak of Bird flu], how interpretation of Srichakra was incorrect in Samaya form [The Srichakra at Kamakshi temple, drawn by Sri Durvasa, prescribes to the rules laid out in Shuka Samhita, later quoted by Lolla Lakshmidhara, who represented one school among the five], how nyAsa is impossible [he seems to have no clue of samayAchAra as nyAsa is performed in Shatchakras and according to samanvayAdhikarana], how everyone followed Kaula but called it Samayachara etc. It is the mindset of the ignorant to reject what is beyond their realm of perception or understanding as untrue. Some sane unbiased thinking guided by a study of scriptures and personal experience is the only way out in such cases. The same is applicable in the case of Sri Venkateshwara as well. To conclude, it would be right to call the parama puruSha: shivashaktyaikya rUpiNi or harishankararUpavAn or skandanArAyaNAtmakaH. govindarUpiNyai namaH

Tantra in daily life (Part 2)

Sticker bindis that come in various shapes and designs ( the most hideous stickers are images of snakes, scorpions and other reptiles!!!!!!!!!!) abuse the power of 'agna chakra' which is the conscience of oneself. Tattoos are the latest fad. Many get their bodies tattooed according to body fengshui! I found dragons, raging bulls and other wild animals tattooed on arms, backs of people in my recent trip to the US. Imagining the consequences of wearing such sticker bindis or tattoos in the shape of wild beasts made me shudder!
To wear divine images or writings on the body conveys an attitude of recklessness towards religious principles. Making light of divine symbols and signs is nothing short of blasphemy. What should be placed on the altar of worship is abused when used for decorating the naked skin of a person, be it male or female! I have noticed women wearing sanskrit "OM" stickers on their arms and God forbid... even on their midriffs!
Such acts incur corresponding karma and are best avoided.
Designs made out of the leaves of Lawsonia inermis (marudhani in tamil, gorintaaku in telugu, henna in Arabic) is considered auspicious. Both Hindu and Muslim religions consider "mehndi" as auspicious. The red stain on skin which is caused by mehndi is considered a great omen especially for brides who decorate their hands and legs with the paste made out of these leaves. Application of the same even on regular days invokes auspicious events in one's life.
Betel leaf is yet another leaf that stains the body red ( the tongue to be precise) and considered to be equally auspicious ! Red is regarded as an auspicious colour for promoting love and passion which makes mehndi and betel leaves the most naturally auspicious symbols for celebrations and joyous occasions. Poor man's mehndi which is known as "alta" or red-dye is almost as good as mehndi for invoking love and auspiciousness into one's life.
Coming to body fengshui, the addition of a black or red mole on the correct place (by determining the north, south, east, west of the face) are believed to bring about changes. Come to think of it, even parting of the hair determines little occurences in day to day life. If someone has a side parting and is looking for a change, all he/she has to do is to change the side (from right to left or vice versa) or go for the middle parting. And wait for the changes to happen! It could happen sooner or a little later, but HAPPEN they will! Only caution here is to beware of adverse changes! If the results are negative, quickly revert back to the known devil, that is the old parting! The latest zigzag parting is a big NO NO!
During an interesting conversation with a tantrik, I learnt that there is a surefire remedy for artistes, especially women artistes and other popular personalities who are prone to negative effects of "drishti' or evil-eye. 'Drishti'/evil-eye results in the affected person falling gravely sick or even meeting with some freak accident! To divert the evil-eye or 'drishti' of public gaze, the tantrik advises the public personality to wear oodles of jewelry and other attractive accessories on the body. He asserts that the public attention is diluted/diverted by the presence of overwhelming jewelry and silks. The 'evil-eye' instead of being centered on the person in lime-light strays to the artiste's jewelry and other effects like, silks and flowers too! Of all jewelry, he claims that pearls are the best in capturing 'drishti'! (To be continued......)

Sashti in Tirumala

24)Manmadhonyaha Pumaan Puthraha Pouthraputhraha Shadaananaha!
Jagathpraano Jyeshtaputhraha Snushaa They Bhaarathee Harey!!

Meaning:Lord Manmatha is your son! Lord Kumaraswami is your great grandson!!Lord Vayu is your elder son and Goddess Saraswathi is your daughter-in-law!...

The 24th sloka in Sri Venkatachala Mahathyam's wedding chapter clearly mentions the relationship between Lord Subrahmanya Swami and Lord Venkateswara. Not only that, Sri Venkatachala Mahathyam is a branch of Skanda Puranam in which Lord Subrahmanya Swami is stated to have played the key role in organising Lord Venkateswara's wedding. One of the seven sacred 'theerthas' on the seven hills is Sri Kumaradhara, named after Sri Karthikeya. Vamana Purana states that Lord Karthikeya performed penance on Lord Venkateswara as per the advice of His Father, Lord Shiva. There is also a certain belief that Lord Subrahmanya is automatically invoked through prayers to Lord Venkateswara in Tirumala. I firmly believe that "Kuja dosham" is nullified by prayers to Lord Venkateswara. For any malefic influence of Mars in a horoscope, Lord Venkateswara is to be propitiated and for moon's malefic influence Lord Karthikeya could be invoked.
"Nethra darshanam" of Lord Venkateswara on Thursdays and general darshan of Lord Venkateswara on Mondays mitigate the evil effects of badly placed moon in one's natal chart.When I looked up the 'panchangam' to check out the thithi and nakshatram of the day of my concert in Tirumala for SVBC Channel's Nada Neerajanam on 23/02/2011 at 6.oo PM, I was simply thrilled! The 'panchangam' revealed that the day of my concert happened to be 'Sashti' thithi and the divine birth star of Lord Karthikeya, Visakha nakshatram!
I felt it was a message from Lord Venkateswara, re-emphasizing and deepening my fascination for the relation between Lord Venkateswara and Lord Karthikeya!

Tantra in daily life (Part 1)

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Flowers adorning midnight dark and velvety hair of Indian women, swaying gently to the movements of their gait may present a delightful sight, but they represent a deeper significance. More than the attractive sight they present, the fragrance they emanate holds richer promise. If incense sticks or 'sambrani' are lit in houses to attract great prosperity, equally or more exotic results are assured for the wearer of flowers containing heavenly fragrance. Jasmines attract love and guarantees spiritual elevation ( a mixture of jasmine flowers and vermillion used as offering to Goddess Mahalakshmi for the ashtothara shathanamavali pooja for 41 days is said to materialize wedlock) and roses attract love as well as material prosperity. The 'Kadambam' flowers which is a mixture of jaaji (jaadi), malli, chamanthi. mogali (thazampoo), davanam, etc. are intensely fragrant, their intoxicating fragrance instantly warming the heart as it skips many a beat with unknown excitement. We can imagine the results of the combination of all these exotic flowers!!
Fragrance is also related to the kitchen! The auspicious sweets such as payasam, chakkara pongal etc., demand the usage of camphor (pachcha karpooram) and cardamom. Their rich and divine fragrance are powerful magnets for attracting peace and prosperity into houses. That is also one reason why the stove in the kitchen is considered to be the seat of Goddess Mahalakshmi. In orthodox houses stoves are cleaned and designs with streaks of vermillion (kolam) are drawn on them. On auspicious days such as Fridays, Pournami, general festivals and birthdays of kith and kin, traditional sweets are prepared by using camphor and cardamom powders liberally. Their strong scents invoke positive energies into the lives of the household members thereby promoting peace and harmony in the environment to a great extent.
Even images of flowers known as "Centaury", "Mimulus" and "Rockrose" when hung on walls of the house act as powerful protectors, warding off negativity and enemies!
Famous 'attars' like aragaja, javvadu, punugu (civet oil), sandal paste etc. are potent fragrances meant to attract and fulfill heart's desires. A common tantra is to apply these ingredients on the 'agna chakra' ( in the region middle of the eyebrows). "Agna" means to command and also represents one's conscience. Application of any substance on this vital point yields suitable results. It is therefore recommended that one should at all times apply only auspicious things like vermillion, vibhuthi, sandal paste, raksha of a homam (havan)etc. for all round prosperity and grace of God. Application of attars on agna chakra yields material prosperity and success in heart-related matters.
Usage of meaningless 'sticker' bindis abuse the power and potency of agna chakra.
(To be continued......)

Female Deities/ Tattwas

We propitiate to a deity by chanting related slokas (ashtotharams, nama japams, saharanamams or even meditation on the chosen deity).

Veena And Acoustics

(Published in The Hindu, issue dated 31/12/2010)Veena and acoustics
The primary aspect of concert acoustics is the microphone. Very often, veena artists are faced with the outcry, “Why do you need a contact mike? It distorts the tone of the veena.” For a veena concert to make an impact, the instrument should have the throw and power of a human voice. Whether in a closed auditorium or in open air, the music should basically reach out. Veena being a soft string instrument, a voice mike would make it sound feeble especially in a large concert hall. Even worse, the nuances that bring out the beauty of the instrument do not reach the audience in totality. This is the reason most veena artists resort to a contact mike.
Choosing the right contact mike can be a difficult task since its technical specifications and placement on the surface of the ‘ kudam' or inside the veena are the key factors that determine its compatibility with the instrument. Compatibility of a mike with the instrument can be defined in terms of the ability of the mike to amplify the true tone. With the advent of digital mike-mixer combinations, it is possible to increase the bass or treble content causing the veena to sound either like a bass guitar or a sitar. It is also possible to introduce distortion, leading to the lo-fi type of jarring electronic sound. These techniques can be used cleverly to alter the veena's tone. The need for conveyance of the true tone of the instrument is more of a personal prerogative and a question of artistic integrity.
While the onus of good acoustics in a concert is on the contact mike, the final amplification provided in the concert hall also bears considerable significance. In the older “valve” type of amplifiers, which only had a volume and tonal control, there was little room for dramatically changing the way the veena ultimately sounded although the amplification was feeble. Now that high performance processors are available, while very solid amplification is possible, the sound engineer might inadvertently tamper with the instrument's tonal quality by setting the wrong controls.
Other contributing factors are the construction of the hall for minimisation of echo, maintenance of optimal temperature and illumination levels. Very often, the temperature in the hall is reduced, increasing the tension and hence, the pitch of the veena strings. In contrast to this, the high intensity lighting loosens the strings. Both of these factors do not cancel out each other but cause vacillating shrutis in the veena, making it possible to produce errant notes every now and then thus demanding extreme concentration.
The choice of the right microphone for the veena brings out the vocal or gayaki style of presentation, in other words, the instrument gains the capacity to equal the power of a voice. In such a case, the popular notion that the accompanying percussionists (such as mridangam artists) need to subdue their performance in order to avoid drowning out the sound of the veena becomes antiquated. The accompanying artists are able to use the same vigour as in vocal concerts due to the enhancement of the tone of the veena with the help of the right type of contact mike.
(E. Gayathri is a noted
veena exponent)

Karthika Guruvaaram

My Guru, late Sri.T.M.Thiagarajan.

TIME

"Bhgavad Gita (11th Chapter-32nd Verse)

"Kaalosmi Lokakshayakruth Pravrudhdho
Lokaan Samaaharthumiha Pravruththaha.
Rutheypi Thvaam Na Bhavishyanthi Sarve
Ye 'Vasthithaah Prathyaneekeshu Yodhaaha"


Meaning: Lord Krishna stated: Time I am, the great destroyer of the worlds, and I have come here to destroy all people. With the exception of you (the Paandavaas), all the soldiers here on both sides will be slain."Kaalosmi" (I am TIME), Lord Krishna stated in Bhagavad Gita. Any mantra yields sure and fast results when recited at the same time everyday. As God and Time are one and the same, a time-conscious mantra becomes power-packed due to the grace of God and yields amazing results. Time is God and the needles on a clock are to be regarded as the representatives of God!
Timing of the mantra is very important, if somebody is able to recite the mantra only at 8.00 am everyday, it is advisable to maintain the same time everyday for the enhancement of the mantra-power. There are people who recite mantras at 12 noon sharp when all the three needles on the clock join together. Late Sri.Kama Sastri, music director and conductor of Vadya Vrinda, All India Radio, Chennai used to bring work to an abrupt halt at 12 noon to observe a minute's silence for offering prayers. There are many who keep awake at 12 midnight to repeat the recitation for further power-inducement into their mantra (it is best if the mantra is given by a spiritual Guru or a Srividya Upasaka if it is a Devi mantra). I have known few devotees who recite the same mantra four times in 24 hours, at 12.00 midnight, 6.00 am, 12.00 noon and 6.00 pm everyday.

Ultimate Bliss

Ananda Acharya on Rest

You need rest, perfect rest. There comes a time in the life of man when the body and the brain and the mind want to feel the stillness of the Universal Spirit. Then, the best thing is to do nothing, to think about nothing. That takes away all misfortune, that cures all disease, that soothes all sorrow, that alone makes man whole again.

Ananda Acharya, Yoga of Conquest (Hoshiarpur, India: Vishveshvaranand Institute, 1971) pp. 33-34 [February 29, {1924}]

Rama Nama.

"Ram" has more than one application in Sanskrit. It is the "Beeja Mantra" (seed sound) for the manipura chakra (solar plexus chakra). Manipura could be translated as "City of jewels". Meditation on this chakra yields occult powers and this is one of the important chakras responsible for radiating 'prana' or life-force energy throughout the body.
By reciting the mantra, 'RAM' the manipura chakra is activated to be able to handle the flow of kundalini energy.
Secondly, 'Ra' and 'Ma' that forms the name 'Rama' are interpreted as follows: 'Ra' which is associated with the solar energy flows through the right side of the human body whereas 'Ma' which is associated with lunar energy flows through the left side of the human body. Repeating the mantra, 'RAMA' (even mentally) one is able to balance the solar and lunar energies for sound mental and physical health. Sidhdhi of Rama Nama blesses the entity with spiritual powers and elevation of soul.

Following are 3 powerful Rama Mantras:-

1)Om Namo Bhagavathey Raghunandanaaya Rakshognya Vishadaaya Madhura Prasanna Vadanaaya Amithatheyjasey Balaaya Raamaaya Vishnavey Namaha Om!!

The above sloka if recited one lakh times will grant "mantra-siddhi".

2)Om Kleem Namo Bhagavathey Raamachandraaya sakalajana vashyakaraaya Swaaha!!Above sloka is meant for general success and attraction.

3)Dasha Raama Naama Sthothram:-

Dhyaayaami RAAMA MabhiRAAMA
GiRAAMAranda DhaaRAAMAdhagna
MithaRAAMA MareyrviRAAMAm
AaRAAMA Madbhutha ThaRAAMAlasadgunaanaam
GhoRAAMAyagnya MasuRAAMAravandithaanghrim!!The above if recited yields the benefit of chanting the powerful name of Lord Rama ten times within one sloka,