Moola Nakshatra (2)

Emperor and Rudra Veena exponent Ravana praying to Rudra Veena Supremo Lord Shiva at Mount Kailash

My favorite actor late Sri.N.T.Ramarao as Ravanaasura  (from the movie Seetharama Kalyanam) playing Veena literally from his nabhi ( nerves and intestines ripped out from his gut region) to appease Lord Shiva.

                          Late Dr. Sri.Emani SankaraSastrigaru's unparalleled Veena rendering Vedas, ragam and thanam in Raga Mukhari was recorded for this sequence

 Incidentally gut strings were used in the making of old guitars, especially the Spanish and classical ones. Intestines from dead lambs and bulls were taken, dried and cleaned as thoroughly as possible before stringing them onto the guitars. 

The Asura King, Ravana had Moola/Lyra constellation/Vega as his asterism. King Ravana was a great Rudra Veena exponent and knew every nuance of Veena playing. A great scholar and having mastered the Vedas,  Ravana had composed many songs and ragas in praise of Lord Shiva. The musician Emperor Ravana had also competed with Sage Agasthya in music. 
Ravana attained a state of Oneness with his Veena by dedicating his Veena playing to Lord Shiva. At one stage he literally ripped out his intestines to use them as Veena strings. It is believed that Ravana made a Veena using his ten heads as the Veena gourd, his arm as the Veena dandi and his nerves and intestines as gut strings of the Veena to play on them. As I had stated earlier, the activation of Sushumna Nadi while playing the Veena happens through retention of breath (Kumbhakam). Kumbhakam takes place when the Veena player is in Samyoga ( 'samyoga' is an act of merging of the practitioner with the music he is producing on the Veena), the act of Samyoga takes place when the practitioner performs from his 'nabhi' (gut) region where the Solar Plexus (Manipura) chakra is situated. This chakra which represents the Sun God and the Gayathri Mantra is said to be one of the most powerful chakras among the seven chakras inside the human spinal chord. Will-power, assertion, leadership, tremendous self-confidence, action and absolute power are the characteristics of solar plexus or manipura chakra. The intestines are governed by the solar plexus chakra. By using the intestines and nerves surrounding the intestines as Veena strings King Ravana had undoubtedly attained Oneness with the Consciousness of Lord Shiva.
Saint Thyagaraja in the charanam of his krithi Mokashamu Galada in Saramathi  says,  "Veena Vaadana Loludau Shiva Manovidhamerugaru..." which literally means "Liberation is difficult for people who do not understand the mind of Lord Shiva, who enjoys playing his Veena in tune with the universal resonance or naadam. Attuning oneself to the divine consciousness of Lord Shiva is "moksha" itself." 
Lord Shiva whose Nakshatra is Thiruvadirai/Ardra (Rahu's asterism) in Mithuna Rasi or Gemini  and Ravana who belonged to the Moola  (Ketu's asterism) in Dhanush Rasi or Sagittarius are in mutual aspect with each other (Sama Sapthama Bhavam).
Lord Rama, after killing Ravana went to Rameswaram. The Lord then installed a Shiva Lingam in Ramanathaswamy Temple and along with Sitadevi and Lakshmana offered prayers to the Shiva Linga to absolve the sin (Brahma Hatya Pathakam) of killing Ravana who is a brahmin and also a devotee who endeared himself to Lord Shiva through his Veena!

Loving Lyra

After a concert in a temple in Devakottai in 1970

Silver Jubilee concert in Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha in late 60s

In Shimoga in 1968 (Baby Gayathri)

First photo session with Lyra in 1968 (Baby Gayathri)

My first concert in Pillayar Temple, R.A.Puram in 1968

Late 60s concert in some organisation in Chromepet (Baby Gayathri)

One of the innumerable concerts with Madurai  Sri.T.Srinivasan (Baby Gayathri)

My first photo with Lyra (Baby Gayathri)

Silver Jubilee performance in Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha, late 60s

                     ( Sri.Venkatakrishnan, President of the sabha addressing the audience, late Smt.D.K.Pattammal seen seated on the dias)- Baby Gayathri

Ravindra Bharathi, Hyderabad (Baby Gayathri)

At the age 9 (Baby Gayathri)

At 11 (Baby Gayathri)

Late 60s in Machilipatnam (Baby Gayathri)

Late 60s in British Council, Chennai. Sri.Palghat Sundaram-mridangam (Baby Gayathri)

Receiving first prize for best Veena in competition conducted by the government of Tamil Nadu in 1971 from late Sri.Kalyanakrishna Bhagavathar (Baby Gayathri)

With late Sri.Allah Rakha, late Pandit Sri.Ravishankar, late Smt. Lakshmi Shankar (Baby Gayathri)

Performing with late Sri. Madurai  Sri.T.Srinivasan

Late 60s in British Council (Baby Gayathri)

Late Pandit Sri.Ravishankar blessing me (Baby Gayathri)

Origin of Veena- LYRA (Harp)

 In one's natal chart the strength of Sagittarius (Dhanush Rasi) and aspects on Moola (Lyra)

as well as the asterism's individual strength and nature based on the Ascendant (Lagna) and Moon are also taken into consideration to assess the native's prowess in Veena.  Strong Sun, Moon and Ascendant apart from other important aspects based again on Sun, Moon and Ascendant are calculated for a Lyra/Veena/Vega connection of a native.

Moola Nakshatra (1)

 THE BEAUTIFUL GODDESS KALI 

THE RAJARANI TEMPLE, BHUVANESWAR, ORISSA

Goddess Kali belongs to the Nakshatra Moola. According to puranas Kali is also known as Nirrti (Alakshmi). There is a temple for Nirrti known as the Rajarani temple in Bhuvaneswar, Orissa.  The Rajarani temple is also known as "The Love Temple" and Khajuraho Temple is believed to have been inspired by Rajarani Temple and built on the guidelines of its architecture. 

This temple features the 8 Guardians (Dikpaalakas) protecting the Gopuram at 8 compass points. The Guardians begin with the Headof the Demi-Gods INDRA (East) being the first Guardian, followed by AGNI, The Fire God  (South -East), YAMA, The God of Death (South), NIRRITI ,The Goddess of the Black Asuras (South-West), VARUNA, The God of Water (West), VAYU,The God of Wind (North West), KUBERA, The God of Wealth (North), shown with a wish-granting tree (Kalpavruksham),  and ISHAANA (North-East), The Face of Lord Shiva, and Master of all knowledge.

According to Vedic astrology Nirriti reigns over Moola/Lyra asterism. Moola nakshatra which is owned by Ketu is controlled by Goddess Kali/Nirriti. 

It is significant to note that in Devi Mahtmya Goddess Saraswathi is said to be among the Trinity of Maha Kali. Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswathi. She is depicted with 8 lotus-like hands holding the bell, trident, ploughshare, conch, pestle, discus, bow and arrow. Her body-lustre is likened to the moon brilliantly shining in the autumn sky. She is born from the body of Parvathi and is the sustaining base of the three worlds. Maha Saraswathi in Devi Mahatmya had destroyed Shumbha/Nishumbha and other Asuras.

The Eleventh Chapter of Devi Mahatmya is in praise of Goddess Narayani in which there is a shloka in praise of Goddess Saraswathi:-

"Medhey Saraswathi Varey Bhoothi Bhaabhravi Thaamasi, Niyathethvam Praseedeshey Naaraayani Namosthuthey!"

Therefore Goddess Kali whose other form is Goddess Saraswathi is Nada Swaroopini and Veena is Her Inner Consciousness!

Brahma Muhurtham and Cygnus Constellation

                                            THE SEAT OF GODDESS SARASWATHI

Brahma Muhurtham  (meaning "The Hour of the Creator"!) is associated with Cygnus constellation and directly controlled by Lord Brahma Himself. Brahma Muhurtham is roughly between 4.15 to 5.30 am every morning. This period is absolutely under the influence of Lord Brahma Who is seated on Ring Nebula (M57) on the abode of Cygnus constellation along with His Divine Consort, Goddess Saraswathi who is holding the Lyra (Veena) in Her hands.  Further, the Sushumna Nadi is said to be active during this time ( also according to Ayurveda the Brahma Muhurtham is under the influence of Vata Dosha during which time the mind is still and calm).
Practising Veena during Brahma Muhurtham that comes under the influence of Cygnus constellation is the ultimate penance in the life of a human being.

Jupiter entering Lyra/Moola on November 5th, 2019!!

                                                            LAKE MANASAROVAR
Jupiter is entering the sign of Sagittarius  and Nakshatra Moola of Goddess Saraswathi on November 5th 2019!!  Sagittarius is the Bow of Lord Rama (Kodhandam), where knowledgeable Jupiter would be in close quarters with spiritual Ketu and the philosophic planet Saturn (Kodhanda Sani).

The River Brahmaputra ( meaning "Son of Brahma" ) originates from Lake Manasarovar. Lake Manasarovar was first created in the mind of Lord Brahma. The manifestation of Lake Manasarovar on earth happened only after its creation in Lord Brahma's mind. 

As Jupiter enters Sagittarius on November 5th this year the Pushkar on the banks of River Brahmaputra will commence and last upto November 16th.

Whenever Jupiter enters Moola Nakshatra which is Goddess Saraswathi's constellation( which will happen once in 12 years) the Pushkar takes place on the banks of Brahmaputra because Lord Brahma is seated in a very close range of Cygnus and Lyra.

                                          RING NEBULA (LOTUS SEAT OF BRAHMA)
I was fortunate to chance upon this article published by AstroSage magazine (article written by Sri. V.G.R.Pavan). The above image and description of Lord Brahma's placement near Cygnus (Seat Of Goddess Saraswathi) and Lyra (Veena of Goddess Saraswathi) are given as follows:-

"Lyra is a constellation in Paradise. It is situated near the celestial Swan, Cygnus. The above is an image showing the location of Cygnus and Lyra (written in Red) in the galaxy and the unending space which is the cosmos. In the same image above we also find M57 named after an astronomer Messiah and the number corresponds to his list of observations. M57 is also known as Ring Nebula.

                                   RING NEBULA-LOTUS SEAT OF LORD BRAHMA

                                                                  LORD BRAHMA
The Ring Nebula presents the picture of a Lotus (Seat of Lord Brahma). Ring Nebula forms a great part of the constellation Lyra. In Greek Mythology Lyra was considered and admired as Lyre or Harp, whereas according to Hinduism Lyra is the Veena in the Hands of Goddess Saraswathi.  Vega, the brightest asterism in Lyra constellation is located close to Lyra (See image of constellations given above).
Vega has another name, Epsilon Lyra. Epsilon is a Greek alphabet used by astronomers for naming asterisms in a constellation according to the illumination of each star. The brightest star is Alpha, the second brightest is Beta etc.
The 2 pairs of sub-stars ( four minute stars)  in Vega revolve around each other at optimum speed with all the 4 tiny stars in Vega facing 4 different directions at any particular point of time. Hindu mythology describes the Four-Faces of Lord Brahma based on the location and movements of these 4 sub-stars belonging to Vega (Epsilon Lyra)!

Ring Nebula being the lotus on which Four Faced Lord Brahma (Vega/Epsilon Lyra) is seated and Goddess Saraswathi is holding Lyra and both have an abode of Swan which is none other than Cygnus."-Sri.V.G.R.Pavan

या कुन्देन्दुतुषारहारधवला या शुभ्रवस्त्रावृता |

या वीणावरदण्डमण्डितकरा या श्वेतपद्मासना ||

या ब्रह्माच्युतशंकरप्रभृतिभिर्देवः सदा पूजिता |

सा मां पातु सरस्वति भगवती निःशेषजाड्यापहा ||

The above shloka by Sage Agasthya describes Goddess Saraswathi as the white constellation Lyra!!

Lecture/Demonstration in KM Conservatory- Music School Of A.R.Rahman (July10th, 2019)

My acoustic veena performance for KMC

The Temple for Moola Nakshatra- Singeeswarar Temple in Arakkonam District

                                          SINGEESWARAR TEMPLE

                                     VEENA ANJANEYA Star- Lyra/Moola)

This ancient temple though meant for Moola Nakshatra natives is generally good for aspirants of music/fine arts and specifically Veena. The idol of Lord Anjaneya playing the Veena is a special feature in this temple. As an obsessive Lexigram analyst I couldn't fail but notice that the main deity is "Sing" eeswarar- conveying the stress on the significance of music attached to this temple.

Lyra- Moola

THE SUMMER TRIANGLE

The Summer Triangle is formed by 3 asterisms (stars) in the Northern hemisphere of the galaxy. These 3 stars form a pattern in the shape of a trianlge and well known as the Summer Triangle in the northern summer night sky.  Deneb Algedi belonging to the Cygnus (Swan) constellation, Vega belonging to the Lyra (Veena) constellation and Altair (Eagle) belonging to the Aquila constellation form the spiritual Summer Triangle. These 3 asterisms are significant for being the brightest and most brilliant asterisms in their respective constellations. In the summer night sky they shine brilliantly.

The Summer Triangle constituted by the 3 constellations-

1. Cygnus- Swan (Hamsa)
2. Lyra- Harp (Veena)
3. Aquila- Eagle (Garuda)

LYRA-MOOLA

The constellation Lyra, which literally means Lyre or Harp in Latin (the origin of Veena) belongs to the Cygnus constellation. Cygnus constellation which is in the centre of the Milky Way  means "Seat of the Swan" in Latin. According to Vedic astrology Cygnus constellation which is in the shape of a Swan is the Seat of Goddess Saraswathi (Hamsa Vahanam).

 Lyra is the first star of Sagittarius (First 12 to 13 days of the rising of this constellation in Sagittarius happens when Sun enters this Zodiac sign). Vega belonging to Lyra is the one of the most brilliant stars in the night sky. This star Vega is bright blue in colour and means "HE SHALL BE EXALTED" in Arabic.
 Reportedly Sun and all the planets are rushing towards Vega (which is in Lyra constellation) at the rate of 12 miles per second!! Certain authentic scriptures claim that there is fulfillment of Seed Promise in Sagittarius which contains the constellation of Lyra (Moola) in it. These scriptures have elaborated further that Sagittarius holds a Savior's promise of paying the penalty for the sins of human beings including that of Adam and Eve. What caught my attention was the word "Seed". Seed means origin, origin means root, root means Moola- Moola nakshatra which literally indicates the Root Chakra. Moola Nakshatra signifies Lord Vighneswara, the First Lord, for removing obstacles.

If Cygnus constellation (Swan) is the seat of Goddess Saraswathi, Lyra (Veena) is what She holds in Her hands.Goddess Saraswathi seated on the Swan (Cygnus) seems to be encompassing the Summer Triangle in a particular angle that facilitates Her to hold Lyra (Veena ) in Her hands!!

Tropical zodiac system arrives at Uttarashadha Nakshatra for Vega (Lyra), but strictly according to sidereal zodiac calculations it is Moola Nakshatra that correlates with Vega (Lyra). Great spiritual and mythological personalities who are acclaimed Veena players have their Moon in Moola Nakshatra and Moola is the root, the origin which is why  Sun and its planets and almost everything in the galaxy are heading back to the origin, Moola at a rate of 12 miles per second - signifying the CREATION AND DISSOLUTION of the Universe!

Cygnus - Seat of the Swan and Hamsa Vahanam of Goddess Saraswathi

THE ORIGIN OF THE VEENA GODDESS-
The video below is a trip to the Cygnus Constellation which is the seat of Goddess Saraswathi. Sharad Navarathri ( Moola Nakshatra) which falls on the 5th of October, 2019 is directly connected to this constellation which is the seat of the Swan, Hamsa Vahanam of Goddess Saraswathi. I am coming out with fascinating details at the earliest. 

GODDESS SARASWATHI SEATED ON A SWAN (HAMSA VAHANAM)

CYGNUS CONSTELLATION 

The Body Temple (Part 7) (Secrets Of Kasi Temple)

Sri Paramahamsa Sachchidananda Yogeeswarar

As told by the yogi:- " I was curious to know what was inside the mosque. I entered the mosque to find out. The mosque led the way into a huge basin of water where devout muslims used to cleanse their face, hands and feet in preparation for "Namaaz"( Islamic prayers). I found out that first there used to be a Shiva Lingam in the middle of the make-shift lake and rightfully in front of the Nandi. After making enquiries as to why the Lingam had to be shifted behind the rear of the Nandi, I came to know that a Moghul Empeor named Aurangazeb had demolished the original Sri.Kasi Visweswara Temple and had built a mosque in that place for his people. Ofcourse, as you all know, these events have been widely mentioned in children's books on Indian history. Let me also tell you my observations!
The event of Aurangazeb's act of demolishing of our sacred Sri. Kasi Visweswara Temple has been mentioned in "The Brief History Of India".
During the regime of Aurangazeb, his fanatic tendencies were well-known among the general public. In 1677-A.D., exactly 253 years ago ( before the time of the publication of Sri.Paramahamasa Sachchidananda Yogeeswarar's "Shareeradevaalaya Rahasya Paarijaathamu" in 1930), demonstrating his love for his beloved muslim citizens, Aurangazeb destroyed Sri.Kasi Visweswara Temple and built in its place a great mosque for all the devout muslims to perform Namaaz.The Shiva Lingam used to be exactly in the middle of the lake of water created for the religious muslims to wash their face, hands and feet for Namaaz."
(To be continued....)

Smt. Ranganayaki Rajagopalan- 1932-2018

 SMT.RANGANAYAKI RAJAGOPALAN

The field of Veena has lost one of its most melodious and soulful Veena vidushis this morning (Ekadasi, Guruvaram).

Smt. Ranganayaki Rajagopalan is a renowned name and one of the most respected Veena Vidushis and one of the strong pillars of the prestigious Karaikudi Bani.


During my tenure as Vice Chancellor of Tamilnadu Music and Fine Arts University I had the proud  privilege of honouring Smt. Ranganayaki Rajagopalan with the JAYAM Award in the year 2014.

I always had great admiration for her extraordinary understanding and execution of the art of Veena as well as her unassuming and selfless dedication to Veena. The world never knew that all these years this great Vidushi (till the the fag end of her life) spent many hours practising Veena despite her physical ailments. I heard her personally and watched her leaning back against the wall  and struggling to handle the instrument. It was astonishing that despite physical challenges the music that came out of her Veena was crystal clear, pure and divine.

I pray to God to keep her with Him where she belongs.