YOGA

YOGA

Swami Satyananda Saraswathi says that Yoga is not an ancient myth buried in oblivion.  It is the most valuable  inheritance of the present.  It is the essential need of today and the culture of tomorrow.

Lord Shiva is considered to be the symbol or embodiment of supreme consciousness.  Parvati represents supreme knowledge, will and action. They are responsible for all creation.

swami Sivananda Saraswathi explains Yoga as  an “integration and harmony between thought, feeling and deed, or integration between head, heart and hand”. When a persons practices yoga regularly, he can develop awareness develops of the interrelation between the emotional, mental and physical level,and how a disturbance in any of these effects the others and how he easily manages the problems.

Yoga of many types and of course with many names:

Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti yoga, mantra yoga, Kundalini Yoga and laya yoga, Nada yoga etc.,

Yoga means, unity or oneness and is derived from the sanskrit word yuj, which means ” to join”.   This is the union of the individual consciousness with the universal consciousness.  In simple words, yoga is an act if  balancing and harmonizing the body, mind and emotions with the help of regular practice of asana, pranayama, mudra, bandha, shatkarma and meditation.

Yoga is also a type of tantra. tantra is a combination of two words, tanoti and trayati, which mean expansion and liberation.  In earlier days, yoga techniques were kept secret as it was a tantra form of keeping the body and mind in clear and healthy way.

  1. Asana:

Prior to everything, asana is spoken of as the first part of hatha Yoga.

Having done asana, one attains steadiness of body and mind, freedom from disease and lightness of the limbs.

therefore Asana means a state of being in which one can remain physically and mentally steady, calm, quiet and comfortable.  In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali there is a definition for yogasana, which says that the position which is comfortable and steady.

In the Raja yoga, asana refers to the sitting position, in hatha yoga it means something more. asana is a specific body positions which open the energy channels and psychic centres.  Asasans are used as tools to higher awareness and provide the stable foundation for further exploration of the body, breath, mind and beyond.

…. to be continued.

V.MEENAKSHI JAYAKUMAR.

MUSIC – PURANDAROPANISHAT

NAMASTHE

Dasa sahitya is a rich treasure of wisdom that is relevant for our every day life.

Purandarasada who composed lakhs of songs in Kannada was a contemporary of Tallapaka annamacharya, the Padakavita Pitamaha of Telugu and a friend of Srikrishnadevaraya, the Vijayanagara King and the disciple of Saint Vyasaraja, who for a long time worshipped Lord Sri Venkateswara of Tirumula.

Tirupati, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams published Sri Purandaras ke Bhakti Geet, during 2000. Sri Dr.V.R. Panchamukhi did the English and Hindi Translation. Dr. I.V Subba Rao I.A.S. Executive Officer, T.T.D. has written the foreword for this book, where he says, Saint Composers of Karnataka, popularly known as Karnataka Haridasas occupy a prominent place int he galaxy of great souls who spread spiritual knowledge in various Indian languages.

Dr.I. V. Subba Rao, EO thanked Dr. V.R. Panchamukhi, an intellectural with a deeply spiritual orientation, has succeeded in perfectly bringing into his translations the true feel of Saint Purandaradasa, in his compositions.

In this compilation of songs, we have classified the selected songs broadly into the following five groups, according to the nature of the man contents of the songs:

  1. Perceiving Lord Krishna
  2. Reflections on Life and Messages for Social Reforms
  3. Messages for Managing the Self
  4. Philosophy of life and Moral Principles
  5. Bhakti, Surrender and Meditation .

There is one sloka in SrimadBhagavatha Purana, which says When man gets distracted fromLord Krishna and pursues unrighteous path and hence becomes unhappy, then these saints move on this earth as the auspicious forms of Lord Janardhan, to bless the mankind with right path.

There are two systems of spiritual leadership:

  1. Vyasakuta
  2. Dasakuta.

The Spiritual leaders in Vyasakuta include the three main Acharyas of the Indian Philosophical world, Sri Sankara, Sri Ramanuja and Sri Madhva.  All of them derive their valuable and strong thoughts from the basic sources of Vedas, Upanishads and Veda-based literature of Vedavvyasa.

 

dasakuta systems becomes a relevant system of spiritual leadership.  Dasakuta provides guidance to the mankind not only through the teachings given in the songs composed in the common man’s languages but also by setting of examples through the practice of the preceptors.

In fact, there are many luminaries int he Dasakuta system of spiritual leadership.  Dasakuta has existed side by side along with Vyasakuta from very ancient times. For example, Gopitaks the devotees of Lord Krishna who practiced the teachings of Sri Krishna, the approach of complete surrender and purelove  sysmbolise the main characteristics of Dasakuta.

Sri Hanuman signifies a blend of Vyasakuta and Dasakuta.

— to be continued.

V.MEENAKSHI JAYAKUMAR

 

MUSIC – PURANDAROPANISHAT

PURANDAROPANISHAT:

Purandara Dasa is described aptly as Karnatak Sangeet Pitamaha.

No musical concert of today is complete without the rendering of some of the songs of Purandaradasa, especially in Bhajan Sampradaya. It is said that Saint Tyagaraja who rules supreme in the Karnatak Sangeeth today, derived inspiration from Purandaradasa songs, as his mother was always singing to him in his younger days, the devotional songs of Sri Purandaradasa.

I believe for various reasons that Purandaradasa to be the Avatara of Narada Maharishi, the doyen of music and keerthana and Bhakti on Lord Rama (Vishnu Narayana).

The word Upsanishad means the preachings given by a preceptor to his disciple when the latter is sitting in front of him with a sincere yearning for learning. (True Vidyarrthi).

The Purandaradasa sahitya is described as Purandaropanishat.  The various Upanishads message and philosophy, the essentials of the Vedas, various Puranas Ithihasas, Smritis and Smirutis are found in Dasa Sahitya. This is for the benefit of the masses who do not know the above Veda Rasas.

— to be continued

V. Meeenakshi Jayakumar.

STORY TIME

THE THREE D’s

  1. Divinity
  2. Devotion
  3. Duty.

Performance of one’s own prescribed duties with devotion and with a sense of Service to God alone is Dharma: Anything other than this is Adharma.

What is Dharma?

Dharma has many meanings as far as i knew about it.

  1. Duties
  2. Rights
  3. cosmic law and order
  4. conduct
  5. virtues
  6. Yoga
  7. personal behaviour
  8. Law and justice

In Brhasdaranyaka Upanishad it is said

Nothing is higher than Dharma.  The weak overcomes the stronger by Dharma, as over a king.  Truly that dharma is the Truth i.e. satya; Therefore, when a man speaks the Truth, they say “He speaks the Dharma”; and if speaks Dharma, they say , ” He speaks the Truth!:. for both are one.

.. to be continued.

  • V.MEENAKSHI JAYAKUMAR

15 important tips

15 important tips

  1. Wake up early
  2. Think and Thank God.
  3. Do your everyday routine work.
  4. clean up yourselves
  5. Do Surya Namaskaram
  6. Try to help family members.
  7. Get a hobby
  8. Learn any art form
  9. Travel as much as you can.
  10. Eat healthy food.
  11. Sleep well.
  12. Play and exercise daily
  13. Accept responsibility
  14. Plan your work for today, weekly and monthly.
  15. Take action, immediate and appropriate….
  16. ———- V.MEENAKSHI JAYAKUMAR

Ratha Saptami

Namaste all .

Today Ratha Saptami, also known as Maagha Saptami.

It is not only a Hindu Festival, but also a Universal Festival.

This falls on the 7th day of Maagha Month according to Hindu calendar.

Ratha Saptami is celebrated two days after Vasant Panchami i.e. Basant Panchami . The 7th day of Maagha month also marks the birth of Surya, hence its also celebrated as Surya Jayanth. Ratha Saptami marks the birth of Surya to Saga Kashyapa and his Wife Aditi.

The first and foremost of the nine planets is Surya, the Sun.  He has two arms, and carries lotus flowers in each hand.  On his head He has a beautiful golden crown.  A gem-studded necklace adorns his neck.  He sits on  a lotus throne and rides a chariot drawn by seven horses.

Surya is as powerful as Brahma.  The world arises from Sun and resides within Sun.  Surya is like Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara.

To receive the blessings of Surya, one must make an offering to Him everyday, read or listen to Harivamshpurana and wear ruby in a ring.  Devotees must given wheat, jaggery, copper, gold and red fabric in charity.

Ratha Saptami is sybolically represented in the form of Surya  turning His Ratha i.e. chariot drawn by seven horses, with Aruna, the Charioteer, towards the northern hemisphere, in a north easterly direction.  The seven horses represent the seven colours of the rainbow, they are also represent the seven days of a week starting with Sunday.

The chariot has 12 wheels, which represents the 12 signs each of 30 degree of Zodiac ie. 360 degrees,  named samvatsara. also the 12 months.

The Sun’s own house is Leo i.e. simha and He moves from one house to the next every month and the total cycle takes 365 days to complete.

This festival seeks the blessings of Lord Surya Narayanamoorthy.

Adityahridayam, Gayathri manthram, Suryashtakam, Surya Sahasranamam are the important prayers offered to the Lord Surya on not only this occasion but also on every sunday.

Om Sri Suryanarayamoorthaye namaha.

— V.Meenakshi Jayakumar

Vedanta, Ithihasa & Purana

A person who adheres to Hinduism is called a Hindu.  Hinduism is a religion followed by the majority of people in India.  Ramayana and Mahabharatha, the two great epics were certainly the sources of inspiration and direction to the Hindu way of life.  There are other teachings like Vedas, Puranas and Upanishads.

The Hindu way of life is principally based on the teachings in the Vedas. Upanishad means sit down near.. which are the final portion of a Veda and also called as Vedanta i.e. end of knowledge.  Upanishad explains the final truth.

The Puranas were composed after the epics.  Some of them deal in detail with subjects and characters in the epics.

The Upanishads are the solace of my life.  They will a solace to me after my death also – Arthur Schopenhauer, German Philosopher (1788-1860)

— will be continued.

music – composers

NANDANAR CARITRAM

Tamil Geyanatakam Nandanar Caritram was composed by Sri Gopalakrishna Bharati who was a contemporary of Sri Tyagaraja. The entire work consists of 45 keerthanaigal, 7 Kannigal, 7 Kadukka 4 tukada, 5 iruchollalangaram, 10 dandakam, 3 anandakalippu, 2 cinsdu, 3 lavani, and 2 nondi cindu.

Beside Nandanar Caritram Gopalakrishna Bharati composed three more small geyanataka

  1. Tirunilakanta Nayanar caritram
  2. Iyarpagai Nayanar Caritram
  3. Karaikkal Ammaiyar charitra.

——- Will be continued.