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Geetha Saaram 9-25 to 9-29

August 26, 2008

..slokam 9-25..thiru nahari..moontru gopurams..7,5,3 tiers..thiru anthi kaappu..thirshti pola..pidi sothil ney pola adi thorum archai paaduvaar thirumangai..86 desam mangalaasanam panni ullaar..evar mattum 47 divya desam aruli erukiraar..

yanti deva-vrata devan
pitrn yanti pitr-vratah
bhutani yanti bhutejya
yanti mad-yajino ’pi mam

“Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship the ancestors go to the ancestors; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; and those who worship Me will live with Me.”

Deva vrata = those intending to become a deva [ or reach deva loka], devan yanti = [ by doing specified karmas for that] attain deva loka. Pitr vrata = [similarly] those wanting to reach pitru [deceased ancestors] loka, yanti = attain [ by taking specified efforts] , pitrn = the world of pitrus. Bhutani = groups of bhutas, like rakshasas, gandharvas, etc., yanti = are attained [ by performing ], bhutejya = karmas related to such bhutas. One does a karma to reach Indra lok and worships Indra with the knowledge and intention that Indra is to grant the desire of reaching Indra lok. But, Yanti = attain, mam = Me [Sri Krishna, in Vaikuntam], mad yajino = [who] perform karma to reach Me [Sri Krishna], api = only.The Lord is not asking anyone to change the karma; but only asking them to change the sankalpam..

.Ramanuja’s Commentary The word vrata means sacred resolve and undertaking. Those whose resolve and willingness to perform ceremonies to the demigods such as darsa purnamasa for the full moon etc. desiring entry in the heavenly planets worship Indra the celestial chief and join him there. Those who determine to offer profuse ritualistic ablations in honor of the ancestors go to Pitriloka the realm of the ancestors. Those who undertake to worship demons, ghosts and spirits go to the realms of the respective elemental spirits of those invoked. But those who with devotion judiciously offer all propitiation and worship to the Supreme Lord Krishna who exists inside as paramatma the supreme soul and whose transcendental body comprises all of the demigods attains the Supreme Lord eternally. The votaries of the demigods share the joys of the heavenly kingdoms for an allotted time and then they fall down but those who direct their rituals, ceremonies and worship to the Supreme Lord. Who is without beginning, without end. Who is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent and infallible. Who is a vast ocean of multitudinous attributes and infinite glories. Who is measureless bliss personified and from whom once attaining there is no return to the worlds of mortals. Next will be given another distinguishing characteristic of Lord Krishna’s devotees.

..slokam 9-26.

patram puspam phalam toyam
yo me bhaktya prayacchati
tad aham bhakty-upahrtam
asnami prayatatmanah

“If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.”

Ramanuja’s Commentary Whoever offers the Supreme Lord Krishna even the most easily obtainable articles such as a flower, a fruit, some water or even a leaf, He will accept if the are offered with bhakti or exclusive loving devotion. Lord Krishna’s devotee love Him so ardently and enthusiastically that without dedicating all they have for His acceptance the devotee finds themselves unable to tolerate their very existence and subsequently so impassioned do they feel this love that their very act of offering in devotion even a leaf has great merit in the fulfillment of their enthusiasm to please the Supreme Lord. The compound word prayatmatmanah means a devoted, pure minded and pure hearted being. Pure in mind, pure in heart consists of an attitude and mentality of dedicating everything they offer to the Supreme Lord exclusively with only motives of pure devotion and love which is the topmost ambition and goal of the spiritually enlightened. Thus such humble offerings as water or even a simple leaf are given with love by such persons.The Supreme Lord Krishna, the Resplendent Lord of all Lords, Whose will is unalterable. Who is completely self-satisfied. Whose glorious qualities and attributes are transcendent and limitless. Who is the sole source of all created beings and from Whom all the trillions of universes come into existence, He views their appearance and disappearance like a marvelous show that is like sport for Him. Although He is supremely and sublimely satisfied naturally in the unlimited bliss of Himself in unparalleled felicity; He is always joyful to receive an offering from His devotees no matter how simple. The Supreme Lord accepts even the most humble offering from His devotee even if it is only fresh water or a flower which are easily available because it is given with bhakti or loving devotion. The Moksa Dharma states: The Supreme Lord looks at such offerings as being so rare and precious that they are comparable to the most cherished possession of desired expectations in a longing heart. In Mahabharata, Santi-parva, chapter CLXXI, verse LXIII it states: Whatever acts are consecrated to the Supreme Lord with exclusive single focused devotion, the Supreme Lord Himself accepts them upon His head. Inasmuch as these are the special characteristics of the exalted, noble souled bhaktas or loving devotees of the Supreme Lord. Everyone regardless of position should without consideration of thinking or acting become such a bhakta and along with all family members attain loving devotion to the Supreme Lord as has been profusely described. Such a one should always be singing His glories, chanting His praises, remembering His pastimes, rendering service to Him, worshipping Him, prostrating before Him and offering everything to Him. All these things should be lovingly performed along with one’s secular and religious duties according to one’s varna and asrama or class and position in society as authorized by Vedic scriptures.

..slokam 9-27..vayalali manavalan.seated posture on rice bag..kalyana renga nathan..veda raja perumal…uthsavar is vayalali mainthan..silai valavan sannithi aruhil..eruvaraay vanthaar yenkiraar alwar in my vannam narum kunji pasuram of thiru nedm thandaham..natta kunji ragam is my valam..

yat karosi yad asnasi
yaj juhosi dadasi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kurusva mad-arpanam

“Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, and whatever austerities you perform—do that, O son of Kunti, as an offering to Me.”

Tat kurushva = do that, mad arpanam = [as] offering to Me [Sri Krishna]. This is what we daily recite in ‘kayena vacha amnasaindhri aiva... Narayana iti samarpayami’. Whatever we do by mind, words and organs, we should submit to the Lord. Yat karoshi = whatever you do [of worldly living], yad asnasi = whatever you eat [ for living], yad juhoshi = whatever yagnas you do, yat dadasi = whatever gifts [dhana] you do, yat tapasyasi = whatever meditations you do, tat kuruushva = do all of them, mad arpanam = in My [Sri Krishna’s] favour, kaunteya = Arjuna..lowhiha and vaidiha activities to be done as His service..whatever we do we dedicate to Him..

..Ramanuja’s Commentary

Whatever mundane requirements according to varnasrama or class and position in society one may be engaged in out of necessity to maintain one’s life. Whatever vegetarian food one may be eating and whatever non-alcoholic beverages one may be drinking. Whatever daily and occasional Vedically enjoined duties one may be fulfilling such as juhosi or offerings in rituals, dadasi is giving in charity, tapasyasi is austerities or vows all should be offered internally to the Supreme Lord. Everything that is intended, dedicated and delivered unto the Supreme Lord is known as arpanam an offering to Him. One should perform all activities in such a sublime way as the performer of the action, the enjoyer of the action are actually part of the worship offered unto the Supreme Lord. The exact understanding is that in all actions constituting rituals of demigods and lesser gods there are limitations in scope and power. The individual performs such ritual and is the enjoyer of its rewards; but both the performer and the demigods as well as lesser gods are all part and parcel of the Supreme Lord Krishna and are sustained and maintained by Him alone. As He is the sole support of everything in creation they are all dependent upon Him for all their impulses and for their complete existence.

The Supreme Lord Krishna is the absolute controller , the independent indwelling monitor, the performer of the worship, the enjoyer of the worship and the object of worship. He is all the hosts of demigods and all lesser gods. He is the sum total of all acts constituting worship in accordance to the Vedic scriptures and He is the recipient of them as well. One should fashion the intention of their mode of meditation on the Supreme Lord Krishna or any of His Vedically authorized incarnations or expansions in the mood of bhakti or loving devotional communion with the absolute understanding that He is the source of everything, He comprises everything, and everything emanates from Him as His part and parcel.

..slokam 9-28..neel nila muttram in thirunahari..peri alwar, nam alwar and thiru mangai alwar have separate dvja sthambam for them..8-2-2 pasurathil neenila mutrathu minnuthal nokkinal..alwar facing south towards thiru kanna puram neenila muttram..Swami Manavala Mamunigal has portrayed the beauty of the Alwar:
அணைத்த வேலும், embracing spear
தொழுத கையும், folded hands
அழுந்திய திருநாமமும், well imprinted thiruman
ஓம் என்ற வாயும், mouth always chanting om
உயர்ந்த மூக்கும், long nose
குளிர்ந்த முகம், merciful face
பரந்த விழியும், broad eyes
பதிந்த நெற்றியும், broad forehead
நெறித்த புருவமும், well defined eye brows
சுருண்ட குழலும், curly hair
வடிந்த காதும், shapely ears
அசைந்த காது காப்பும், dangling ear rings
தாழ்ந்த செவியும், ears ready to listen to [mantras from the Lord]
சரிந்த கழுத்தும், flowing neck
அகன்ற மார்பும், broad chest
திரண்ட தோளும், bulging shoulders
நெடிந்த முதுகும், long back
குவிந்த இடையும், narrow stomach
அங்கி கயிறும், robes on stomach
தூக்கிய கருங் கோவையும், beautiful hairstyle
தொங்கல் தனி மாலையும், garlands
மிளிர நிற்கிற நிலையும், standing style
திருத்தண்டையும், ornament on feet
வீரக் கழலும், ornament on ankle
தஞ்சமான கால் இணையும், feet in attention
குந்தியிட்ட கணைக் காலும், slightly raised heels
குளிர வைத்த திருவடி மலரும். lotus feet capable of calming our miseries..

..adal ma kuthiraiyil sentru nithi thirattuvaar..Alwar had four disciples –Neermel nadappan[நீர் மேல் நடப்பான்], Nizhalil odhunguvan [நிழலில் ஒதுங்குவான்], Thaloodhuvan [தாள் ஊதுவான்], Tholavazhakkan [தோலா வழக்கன் ]. neelam was his original name..see http://hk.youtube.com/watch?v=RwXt0Yl6Feg..arasa maram-peepal tree- adiyil thiru mantram petraar..thirumanam kollai vedu puri uthsavam nadakkum edam..

subhasubha-phalair evam
moksyase karma-bandhanaih
sannyasa-yoga-yuktatma
vimukto mam upaisyasi

“In this way you will be freed from bondage to work and its auspicious and inauspicious results. With your mind fixed on Me in this principle of renunciation, you will be liberated and come to Me.”

Sanyasa = relinquished. Here sanyasa does not mean ascetics who wear safron robes and who have renounced worldly life; but those who have dedicated all their actions, their yagnas, their food, their gifts, etc., in favour of the Lord. Sanyasa yoga = such people, yuktatma = with such minds [always dedicated to the Lord]. These people do their actions, not with any selfish motive, nor for any cheap and inferior rewards, but dedicated to the Lord. They are indicated in the words sanyasa-yoga-yuktatma. Moksyase = [such a person] is liberated, evam = in this way [by dedicating all actions to the Lord], subha = auspicious or happiness, asubha = inauspicious or sorrow, phalai = rewards. Happiness comes out of good deeds or punya; and sorrow emerges from bad actions or papa. Karma bandhanai = bound by karmaVimukta = such a liberated person, upaisyasi = attains, mam = Me [Sri Krishna].

Ramanuja’s Commentary

The words sannyasa-yoga means the individual consciousness attaining communion with theultimate consciousness by the complete surrendering and offering of everything one has and is unto the Supreme Lord Krishna. One whose nature has found refuge in such inner resignation is known as a yuktatma or a renunciate of the eternal soul. Thus constantly meditating on the atma or soul as being the eternal part of themselves and the Supreme Lord and realizing that they are totally under His control they perform all actions whether they are natural, scriptural, daily or occasional as direct intended propitiation to Him. Thus thinking and acting in this way they are released from the fetters of all karma or reactions to actions from the immeasurable past which barricades the path leading to the Supreme Lord from time immemorial and being freed from them attain the eternal spiritual worlds in association with the Supreme Lord. Next here about His transcendental and paramount nature beyond the sway of material nature.

..slokam 9-29..thiru kuraiyaloor.alwar avathara sthalam. athanal kurai ellatha thiru kuraiyaloor peyar..neelanaha piranthu mangai mananaha aanavar..ugra roobam.seated posture..

samo ’ham sarva-bhutesu
na me dvesyo ’sti na priyah
ye bhajanti tu mam bhaktya
mayi te tesu capy aham

“I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him.”

Sarva bhutesu = to all living beings, samoham = I [Sri Krishna] am equal or impartial. Na me dvesyo asti = no hatred is there [to anyone], na priya = nor any dear [to Sri Krishna]. The Lord says that he harbours no hatred for any nor shows love to any; He is the same to all. Ye = they, who, bhaktya bhajanti = worship with bhakti or love, mam = Me [Sri Krishna], mayi te = they are in Me [Sri Krishna], ca = and, aham =I [Sri Krishna], tesu = in them. He is same to all devotees ..For Him, Prahalada, Vibheeshana, Sugreeva, Hanuman, Guha, Vasishta, Sandeepa or Gopika are all equal, as all of them are His devotees..Five year old Sri Andal could order that He shall not leave Her unprotected [குற்றேவல் எங்களை கொள்ளாமல் போகாது]. That is intimacy. Prahalada, an asura child, could dare to go near the Ugra Sri Narasimha, when all gods and even Sri MahaLakshmi were scared. The Lord also reciprocates their love as we see His love for Gopikas. Sage Sukha was so overwhelmed that he wanted to be born as the dust under the feet of Gopikas..

..Ramanuja’s Commentary

Whether it is the divine, heavenly kingdoms, or the human worlds, whether the jiva or embodied being is advanced or primitive, whether the jiva is of a dark color or a light color, whether the jiva is of good character or bad character, whether the jiva occupies a form as an animal, bird or fish or even resides in a form in the stationary kingdoms of trees and plants, Lord Krishna declares that He is the refuge to all and independent to any external considerations being equal to all without distinction. The conception of inferiority due to lack of beauty, absence of wealth, no education, menial position, low class family etc. is not an obstacle for any one desiring to surrender to the Supreme Lord, accepting Him as their refuge. Neither is it applicable for one possessing beauty, abundant wealth, good education, a high position in society coming from a first class family to think that they are entitled to any special privileges or have the right to have access to the Supreme Lord because of it. Whoever selects the Supreme Lord as their all in all, their life and their refuge exclusively, to them alone does the Supreme Lord accept and reciprocate and they due to their unflinching devotion are especially dear to Him. Whoever whether they be of any description, who worship the Supreme Lord with bhakti or loving devotion which is most endearing. Who worships the Supreme Lord with a fervor that if interrupted would feel as if their very life was in peril. Who worships the Supreme Lord as the sole aim and goal to be attained. Such beings regardless of any external position of inferiority or superiority would be filled with such blissful blessedness that could compare only with His own blissfulness.

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Geetha Saaram 9-20 to 9-24..

August 18, 2008

..slokam 9-20..

trai-vidya mam soma-pah puta-papa
yajnair istva svar-gatim prarthayante
te punyam asadya surendra-lokam
asnanti divyan divi deva-bhogan

“Those who study the Vedas and drink the soma juice, seeking the heavenly planets, worship Me indirectly. Purified of sinful reactions, they take birth on the pious, heavenly planet of Indra, where they enjoy godly delights.”

..Ramanuja’s commentary..There is no commentary for this verse..

..slokam 9-21..Thiru devanaar thohai. moolavar Deiva nayahan.nintra thiru kolam merkku nokki…Thayar Deiva nayahi thayar..uthsavar Madava nayaha and thayar is Madava nayahi thayar.(kadal mahal natchiyaar).Shobana theertham.. shobana vimanam..dhava=leader.. madavan..Sridhara means carrying her in His chest…te tam bhuktva svarga-lokam visalam
ksine punye martya-lokam vishanti
evam trayi-dharmam anuprapanna
gatagatam kama-kama labhante“When they have thus enjoyed vast heavenly sense pleasure and the results of their pious activities are exhausted, they return to this mortal planet again. Thus those who seek sense enjoyment by adhering to the principles of the three Vedas achieve only repeated birth and death..

..normally geetha slokas will have 32 letters anushtup chandas.. in 20 ,21 and 22 these have 44 letters.

Te =they(those who perform jyotish homa, etc.) tam =such, bhuktava = pleasure is experienced, visalam = vast, svarga loke = heavens. ..Ksine punye = all punya get reduced [as the pleasures of swarga lok are enjoyed and as time passes], martya lokam = the world of mortals or human beings, vishanti = return. ..’ksine‘ -reducing. It is not completely exhausted, but with a particular low level reached, they are reborn in this earth. Evam = thus, anuprapanna = following, trayi dharmam = three Vedas. labhante = attain, kama kama = desired places and desired pleasures. Are these permanent? Ghata aghatam = they go [to heaven to enjoy] and return [to suffer in this samsaram].

Ramanuja’s Commentary .. The compound word trai-vidya denotes the lower spiritual sciences known as karma kanda or actions for fruitive rewards also enjoined in the three Vedas. Persons who perform worship for rewards are known as trai-vidya and are not devotees of the Supreme Lord as they have desires other than devotion to Lord Krishna or His authorised avatars or incarnations and expansions and so they revolve perpetually in samsara the endless cycle of birth and death. The devotees of Lord Krishna who understand Him as the goal to be known and the highest attainment are indeed the mahatmanas or great beings and as stated in verse 14 they inspiringly sing His glories and as stated in verse 15 they enthusiastically learn and enlighten each other about all aspects of His divine glory intensely focusing on Him exclusively in remembrance and meditation as their sole ambition in life and the acme of their ambition. To the contrary those votaries who are addicted to studying the three Vedas for fruitive rewards are known as trai- vidya and they desire Svargaloka the heavenly planets where there is no old age and disease and everyone may partake of Soma or the heavenly nectar after offering it to the demigods and lesser divinities, such votaries enjoy in full energy and bliss as prescribed in the Rig Veda, Sama Veda and Yajus Veda where the Atharva Veda was extracted. The ordinary sins which obstruct the passage of a jiva or embodied being from this world to Svargaloka are thus dissolved by the worship and adoration of Indra the heavenly chief and entering the heavenly spheres they reap their rewards of exquisite heavenly delights never realising that it is the Supreme Lord Krishna alone who sanctions those rewards and that Indra is merely His representative. Thus those of fruitive desires abandon themselves to the full pursuit of delectable pleasures fully accessible in the vast regions of Svargaloka. But after a long duration of time, once their accumulated merit has been exhausted and the time allotment for their heavenly sojourn has expired they again fall back into material existence of samsara.Thus those who hanker after material delights following the karma kanda sections of the Vedas, ignoring the superior spiritual knowledge found in the Vedas as well revolve up and down, back and forth obtaining lives of elevations and recessions. The word gatim denoting destination comes from the words gat – agatam meaning transitory states with no permanence this infers that the enjoyments of Swargaloka are of a trivial and temporary nature involving a revocation and termination. Whereas the mahatmanas hanker only for the Supreme Lord, giving themselves completely in bhakti or ardent loving devotion to Him and thus they assuredly achieve the eternal spiritual worlds never returning and attain the Supreme Lord Krishna who is immeasurable, inexpressible and inconceivable annada or bliss personified. Additional characteristics distinguishing the mahatmanas is given next.

..slokam 9-22..Thiru kavalam badi–Gobala Krishnan..Raja gobalan with cow, calf and pole in one and whip in another hand..thada malar poyhai pushkarani.. nahathin nadukkam theerthaan..naham=elephant..ka=gardan or grove..valam=fertile..padi=place..as protector he will grant us ishta prabthi and anishta nivruthi..

ananyas cintayanto mam
ye janah paryupasate
tesham nityabhiyuktanam
yoga-ksemam vahamy aham

“But those who always worship Me with exclusive devotion, meditating on My transcendental form—to them I carry what they lack, and I preserve what they have.”

Aham = I, Sri Krishna, tesham = their, yoga – kshemam = yoga and kshemam, vahamy = do Ye jana = those devotees, those who think of Sri Krishna as all for them, ananya = not [desiring] anything else [other than the Lord], mam = Me [Sri Krishna], cintayanto = thinking, paryupasate = meditate on His auspicious qualities, on His Divine beauty, on the good things the Lord has done to them. Such people, nitya = always, abhiyuktanam = desiring to be with the Lord..When we enquire yoga kshemam of others, we should mean whether the unexpected Bhakti has been acquired and whether the acqired Bhakti is continued without any reduction..amuthinai kannda kannkal mattru ontrai kaanaathu pola..atchuvai perinum veynndathathu pola..gopies ullathil yentrum vuraibavan gopala krishnan..

..When we enquire yoga kshemam of others, we should mean whether the unexpected Bhakti has been acquired and whether the acqired Bhakti is continued without any reduction.

.. Ramanuja’s Commentary..The word ananyas meaning exclusivity refers to those who have excluded themselves from all other desires except the Supreme Lord Krishna who is their sole source of joy and only center of hope. Always meditating upon Him day and night in terms of his qualities and pastimes as well as what He may be doing and reflecting in relation to them. Deprivation of such meditation and reflections would be tantamount to cessation of their very lives, hence incessant remembrance of the Supreme Lord is wonderful for them in and of itself. The mahatmanas or great, noble beings of this description who devoutly contemplate the Supreme Lord in all His glory and splendour as the source of all glory and splendour throughout the cosmos all over creation and furthermore who contemplating Him thus intensely aspire for eternal communion and association with Him. Then the Supreme Lord Himself accomplishes that yoga or the attainment of the individuals consciousness in communion with the His ultimate consciouness. The word kseman means perpetually this denotes that it is eternal and indicates that there is no return back to the material existence for those so exclusively devoted

..slokam 9-23..svayambu vimanam in kavalam padi.. 11 divya desa perumals in thiru nangur came from various shedrams..dwaraha perumal eingey vathullaar..11 rudrarkallukaka..lord Srinivasa came to Thiruvella kulam..Thiruvida venthai -Nithya Kalyana perumal came to Thiru thevanar thohai..thirumangai speaks about dwraha natha in his paasurams on thiru kavalam padi..here He is with Rukmini and Sadya bama..

ye ’py anya-devata-bhakta
yajante shraddhayanvitah
te ’pi mam eva kaunteya
yajanty avidhi-purvakam

“Those who are devotees of other gods and who worship them with faith actually worship only Me, O son of Kunti, but they do so in a wrong way.”

..This gyana that the Lord is the inner soul of all these gods is necessary to obtain greater benefits..Ye api = even these persons, who are different from those devotees, who think only Sri Krishna is all for them, anya devata bhakta = devotees of other gods, yajante = worship, shraddhayanvita = sincerely..Te api = even those persons, yajanty = worship, mam evam = only Me [Sri Krishna], avidhi poorvakam = without understanding the Vedas correctly.

Ramanuja’s Commentary

Lord Krishna confirms that everyone who worships the demigods like Brahma or Shiva as prescribed in traividya or the karma kanda or fruitive reward sections of the Vedas; as well as worship of lesser divinities such as Indra and Surya and also worship of impersonal conceptions of god are all in reality propitiation to the Supreme Lord but offered in an unconscious, indirect way. For this reason as stated previously all the 330 million demigods comprise the body of the Supreme Lord Krishna and within the etheric heart of each He is residing as paramatma the Supreme Soul as also within all living entities. In every sense all the demigods find their highest good and noblest purpose by supplication to Him. The ignorant who worship the demigods and other lesser gods are totally oblivious to this eternal truth and are not performing worship of the demigods in the manner prescribed in the Vedic scriptures. The Taittiriya Upanisad III.II.II beginning chatur hotaro yatra sampadam gacchanti devaih states: By paramatma the four Vedic rituals known as hotri are fulfilled by the demigods. The Supreme Lord in His localised aspect is paramatma who makes the ritual successful. Thus it is clear that the benefits gained by ceremonial worship to any of the demigods is only by grace of the Supreme Lord. The four hotri rituals as prescribed in the karma kanda section of the Vedas such as Agnihotra or propitiation to the sacred fire by offering it oblations of ghee and grains everyday. Two of the other hotris given in the Taittriya Upanisad I.VI.VIII beginning ya evam vidvan are Purnamasa or penance for full moon and Darsa or penance for new moon. The followers of traividya cannot comprehend that all the rituals and worship that they offer to the demigods is in reality indirect worship to the Supreme Lord who has Brahma, Shiva, Indra, Surya and all the 330 million demigods as part of His transcendental body and that He is the actual object of their worship. Hence because they worshipped indirectly they are entitled to indirect recompense because it descends from the Supreme Lord back down through the demigods who taking their share bestow whatever mundane and transitory desire the ritual was performed for such as entry into the heavenly planets and because such a boon is not eternal when the allotted time fo enjoyment has expired they will be recycled back into samsara the perpetual cycle of birth and death again as mortals. It should be clearly understood that although the Vedic scriptures directly enjoin worship of the demigods they also explain that the demigods constitute the transcendental body of the Supreme Lord and that He is the spirit soul within each and every one of them as well and thus the spiritually intelligent mahatmanas or great souls easily understand that by worshipping the Supreme Lord all the demigods are automatically worshipped as well and thus with great love and devotion they exclusively worship the Supreme Lord Krishna or any of His authorised incarnations and expansions as revealed in Vedic scriptures.

.slokam 9-24.uthsavar Raja gobalan..on His chest madavarai mangai ..Our worship also should be with that gyana or knowledge that the Lord is the antharatman in the god we are worshiping. Without this gyana, they are destined to get only what was prayed for..

aham hi sarva-yajnanam
bhokta ca prabhur eva ca
na tu mam abhijananti
tattvenatas cyavanti te

“I am the only enjoyer and master of all sacrifices. Therefore, those who do not recognize My true transcendental nature fall down.”

Aham hi = I [ Sri Krishna] am alone, sarva yajnanam = of all the yagnas’, bhokta = beneficiary, ca = and, prabhur eva = only giver of benefits in return. Tu = but, mam = My [ Sri Krishna’s], tattvena = true nature is, na abhijananti = not understood [ by them in this way]. Te = they, cyavanti = slip away [from not getting superior benefits and reach only inferior results]. The Lord, in this sloka, says that He represents everything in an yagna: the yajamana, actual performer, the holy fire, the god prayed for, the payasam, etc. He is the inner soul of all. Because of Him all have their capacity or power. He performs yagna; He is worshiped; and He is the giver of results..

Ramanuja’s Commentary

Lord Krishna speaks the words prabhur eva ca meaning that He alone is the sole bestower of rewards in every respect. Amazingly fascinating it is that humans who engage in the very selfsame activities of propitiation and worship are differentiated and classified by the simple difference of the intention and motive by which it was performed. Some performers of activities merit paltry, minimal results such as reaching the heavenly planets and when there allotment of time there has expired they have to start all over again. While other performers of the same activities merit unlimited and transcendental eternal results such as atma tattva or realisation of the soul and never lose it ever as they attain moksa or liberation from material existence.

.. .

….

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Geetha Saaram 9-15 to 9-19

August 18, 2008

.Slokam 9-15..Annan kovil.Thirumangai calls both Thirumala perumal and this perumal as Annan..He is all relatives to us father, mother etc..

jnana-yajnena capy anye
yajanto mam upasate
ekatvena prithaktvena
bahudha vishvato-mukham

“Others, who engage in addition, sacrifice by the cultivation of knowledge, worship the Supreme Lord as the one without a second, as diverse in many, and in the universal form.”..

Anye api = some others..jnana yajnena ca = by gyana yagna also, yajanta = perform pooja [aradhana]. mere knowledge will never grant Moksham. Only Sri Govinda nama sankeerthanam would redeem us..Ekatvena = in unison..Bahuda = in many, prithaktvena = but in separate,vishvato mukham = appear in the entire Universe..Viswatomukham means everything is body to the Lord..

..Ramanuja’s Commentary .. The mahatmanas or those of great souls discuss, sing and reflect on the glories of Lord Krishna without abatement in what is called jnana yagnena or propitiation by knowledge. How is this to understand? By constant meditation of Him as the unity comprising the infinite variations of unlimited diversity displayed in creation as the form of the cosmos. The essence of understanding this phenomena is as follows. The Supreme Lord Krishna alone is the sum total of all having within His spiritual body the most fine and supra subtle state chit or the principles of consciousness and also that of achit or inconsciousness without names, forms and distinctness. By His indomitable will the Supreme Lord resolves to manifest from His spiritual body consciousness and inconsciousness into their relative material states having names, forms and distinctness. Thus the Supreme Lord Himself being the totality of all is perceived in His manifested cosmic form exhibiting the marvelous variegations of existence such as the heavenly demigods, humans, flora, fauna and aquatic as well as the stationary kingdoms. Contemplating the Supreme Lord as all inclusive they are worshipping Him. Therefore He is declared to be the universal form. ..slokam 9-16..Padmavathi thayar sannithi..Thiru maa magal came from indra loham and was fond of kumuda flowers..so she was called kumuda valli. she stipulated that Kaliyan should get pancha samskaram and perform thathiyaradanam for 1000 sri vaishnavas for one year daily..Sri naraiyor nambi became the acharya for Akwar.this pace is piranthaham for kumudavalli..in slokam 13 we saw sadya bakthi..in 14 and 15 sadana bakthi is explained..

aham kratur aham yajnah
svadhaham aham ausadham
mantro ’ham aham evajyam
aham agnir aham hutam

“But it is I who am the ritual, I the sacrifice, the offering to the ancestors, the healing herb, the transcendental chant. I am the butter and the fire and the offering.”

He says He appears as all the various parts of a yagna. Though the list mentioned contains many, we should not forget that He, as One, appears in all. Aham = I, Sri Krishna, am, kratu = all the various yagnas performed to obtain swarga, etc., aham = I, Sri Krishna, am, yajna = activities like pancha maha yagna, one is expected to do daily [ brahma yagna, deva yagna, pithru yagna, manushya yagna and bhootha yagna], aham = I, Sri Krishna, am, svadha = offerings made to pithrus [deceased ancestors] for their welfare, aham = I, Sri Krishna, am, ausadam = havis or the sacred offerings made in sacred fire in yagna, aham = I, Sri Krishna, am, mantra = all the chanted mantras in an yagna, aham = I, Sri Krishna, am, eva = alone, ajyam = ghee offered in the sacred fire in yagna, aham = I, Sri Krishna, am, agni = the sacred fire itself, aham = I, Sri Krishna, am, hutam = the entire homa or yagna or yaga. In the yagna, He is the total yagna, the fire, ghee offered, the person performing, the mantras chanted, offered havis, and what not..

Ramanuja’s Commentary . So in this verse Lord Krishna describes some of His qualities concerning Vedic rituals.He is Kratu or Vedic rituals like Jyotishtoma which awards Swarga the heavenly planetsHe is Yagna or the act of daily propitiation enjoined in the Vedic scripture.He is Sraddha the food oblations offered to the departed ancestors and presiding deitiesHe is ausadham the potency within the healing medicinal herb..He is the mantra or the sacred verses chanted at the performance of all Vedic rituals.He is ajam or the ghee which is clarified butter extracted exclusively from cows milk..He is the fire known as Ahavaniyas the sacrificial fire ignited from the consecrated fire…He is hutam denoting homan or the oblations offered into the fire and the ritual itself.

..slokam 9-18.. aalinganam seythu konda edam aali naadu..in Thirunahari moolavar is Veda Raja Perumal.. uthsavar is Vayalali Manavalan..Poorna maharishi’s daughter is Amirtha Valli thayar..Panguni uthsavam 8th day wedding..antha kalyana kolathil thaan ,yella aabarannangallaiyum thiruda vanthaar kaliyan..vimanam in Thiruvali is kesar astha vimanam..kesari=lion..uthsavar is thiruvali naharalan.. alwar calls Him as sinthanaikku eniyavan..

gatir bharta prabhuh saksi
nivasah saranam suhrt
prabhavah pralayah sthanam
nidhanam bijam avyayam

“I am the goal, the sustainer, the master, the witness, the abode, the refuge, and the most dear friend. I am the creation and the annihilation, the basis of everything, the resting place and the eternal seed.”..

..Gathi = all places or objects we desire for. Swarga lok or Satya lok are desired and He is in them. Bharta = here the usual meaning of husband is not implied; but any thing that supports. Such supports can be husband, father, pillar supporting roof, air supporting so many flying objects and creatures, etc. Prabhu = all those which command. Sakshi = all those which witness every action. As an example, even when we do an action in so called secrecy, there are many witnesses. Space, Sun or Earth are witnessing. Nivasa = all living places, like house or land, etc. Saranam = that which gets us what we want and avoids what we do not want. medicine and doctors could also be saranam..Gathi = all places or objects we desire for. Swarga lok or Satya lok are desired and He is in them. Bharta = here the usual meaning of husband is not implied; but any thing that supports. Such supports can be husband, father, pillar supporting roof, air supporting so many flying objects and creatures, etc. Prabhu = all those which command. Sakshi = all those which witness every action. As an example, even when we do an action in so called secrecy, there are many witnesses. Space, Sun or Earth are witnessing. Nivasa = all living places, like house or land, etc. Saranam = that which gets us what we want and avoids what we do not want. medicine and doctor (beshajam and bishak) could also be saranams..Suhrt = all those who think well of one..Prabhava = originate, pralaya = merging, sthanam = place..Avyaya = never undergoing any change nor changing in quality or quantity, beejam = seed. Seed implies cause. That is the raw material, the maker and the implements…

.. Ramanuja’s Commentary

Lord Krishna states that He embodies the following atributes in this verse: 1) gatih the ultimate goal of all existence. 2) bharta the support like a husband, the sustainer as gravitation sustains. 3) prabhuh the master, the sovereign, the ruler. 4) saksat the witness, the monitor of all thoughts and actions. 5) nivasah the abode where all things dwell. 6) saranam the refuge where all spiritual beings may resort to for guidance. 7) suhrt the dear most friend and well wisher. 8) prabhava pralaya sthanam the basis of creation and dissolution wherever it occurs. 9) nidhanam that from whence all things arise from and all things return to. 10) avyayam bijam the imperishable seed of all, the inextinguishable cause of everything..

..slokam 9-19..pancha narasimhar–representing pancha boothams..in Thiruvali Lakshmi Narasimhar for water..alwar was with his mother and He came and stole him..both of them were inlove and hence in their mad love they could have gone any where..

tapamy aham aham varsam
nigrhnamy utsrijami ca
amritam caiva mrityus ca
sad asac caham arjuna

“O Arjuna, I give heat, and I withhold and send forth the rain. I am immortality, and I am also death personified. All in all times, past, resent and future, are in Me.”

..He talks of rain here and aptly the Lord Sri Narasimha is representing water, in this Kshetram. Aham = I, Sri Krishna, tapamy = burn or produce heat.. Aham = I, Sri Krishna, nigranhamy = suck [ by evaporation] water from various sources like ocean or lakes, etc., by the Sun’s heat, utsrijami = and as cloud produce, varsam =rainAmrutham = life saving, ca = and, mrithyu = death. Here, amruth denotes various lifesaving devices and not the nectar obtained by churning milk ocean. Lifesaving may appear as a medicine or herb or Sri Rama mantra, anything which saves a life from departing a body.Arjuna = Arjuna, aham = I, Sri Krishna. am, sad = all those existing in the present, and asad = all those different from present; that is both past and future. So, all that are existing now are His body..By these Four slokas, the Lord exhausts everything we can perceive in this Universe and says that He, as One, is the Soul of all these and command them to do their jobs..

Ramanuja’s Commentary

The Supreme Lord Krishna explains some of His potencies that through the sun and fire He is tapami or causes heat and He withholds and releases rain. He is amrtam or immortality being by which the world exists. He is also mrtyus or death that by which this world becomes destroyed. Never in contradiction the Supreme Lord is sat or that existence which manifest in the present time and asat or that existence which is unmanifest in present time but which existed in the past and which may manifest in the future. Thus Lord Krishna exists in every reality as the sum of all things intelligent and unintelligent which compose His transcendental body. The mahatmanas or great, noble beings referred to in verse 13 are those who meditate on the Supreme Lord as the unity, manifesting itself in corporeal multiformity and variegatedness throughout creation in the macrocosmic sense. So in order to more fully understand the attributes of the Supreme Lord characterized by the mahatmanas and the method they commune with the Supreme Lord has been depicted. Next will be described the behavior of the ignorant who full of desires covet enjoyment.

Ramanuja’s Commentary

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Geetha saaram 9-10 to 9-14.

July 10, 2008

slokam 9-10..Kaliyan thiru kurum thandahathil ஏரார் முயல் விட்டு காக்கை பின் போவதே,,archai erukka sri vaikundam yetharkku yenkiraar..ulaham yethum kandiyoor yenkiraar..sudarsanarum narasimharum sevai..nodiyil avatharithu ponatharkku yeedaha yella shedrangallilum chakarath azlvarudan narasumharum sevai..

mayadhyaksena prakritih
suyate sa-caracaram
hetunanena kaunteya
jagad viparivartate

“This material nature, which is one of My energies, is working under My direction, O son of Kunti, producing all moving and nonmoving beings. Under its rule this manifestation is created and annihilated again and again.”..

..Maya =by Me [Sri Krishna], adyaksena = as Leader, or in His supervision, prakruti = this prakruti, sa caracaram = this world [ of moving and non-moving], suyate =is created. Anena hetuna = this reason, that is atman’s karma and consequent will power of the Lord. Jagat = world, parivartate = transforms.

Ramanuja’s Commentary

As determined by the merits and demerits of all jivas or embodied souls prakriti or the material substratum pervading physical existence being supervised by Lord Krishna manifests all moving and non-moving living entities as decreed by Lord Krishna according to their karma or reactions to past life actions. In this way conformable to the actions of all created beings does creation revolve. The Vedic scriptures state: The Supreme Lord’s unequalled sovereign mastery, His infallible will and His unexcelled dominion over all as well as being ever free of reproach for being unmerciful. This refers also to verse five of this chapter with the words pasya me yogam aisvaram or behold my super extraordinary potencies. The miracle worker who projects all the cosmos is maya the Supreme Lords external illusory energy which is contained in the compound word mayadhyaksena which represents Him. What else is maya when used in conjunction with the Supreme Lord other than His prakriti for He is the source of it.

..slokam 9-11..seerkazli–thadallan..thaal+aallan..thavittu paanai thadallan sevai vimanathil..kazli seer rama vinnaharam..sevithaal namathu ego yellaam adangum..romasareera minivar ketta padi brahmavin ego tholaitha perumal..

avajananti mam mudha
manusim tanum asritam
param bhavam ajananto
mama bhuta-maheshvaram

“Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature as the Supreme Lord of all that be.”..

Avajananti = without knowing, mam = Me [Sri Krishna], mudha = fools, manusi tanum = human body, asritam = appearance. Mama = My, Sri Krishna’s, param bhavam = great qualities of, bhuta maheswaram = Leader of entire living beings in this Universe, ajananta = ignorant..periyavan avan namakku vendum yentru ezliyavanaha vanthu sevai saathikiraan..

Ramanuja’s Commentary

Due to the accumulation of unlimited sins by ignoring the ordinances of the Vedic scriptures, ignorant fools mistake the Supreme Lord Krishna to be perishable like any other member of humanity. Such fools are totally incognisant to the reality that Lord Krishna is the Supreme omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent Lord of all creation and that He manifests His original form that appears to be like all of humanity due to magnanimous feelings of infinite compassion in order for all living entities to be able to have access to Him. Oblivious to Lord Krishna’s eternal, transcendental, immutable and supreme nature disguised in human form as a way to display His phenomenal lilas or divine pastimes by which to inspire and delight all of humanity as an act of unlimited mercy and love for all. Yet although all over the Earth the name of Lord Krishna and His avatars or expansions and incarnations has been heard of by all, still the ignorant and irrational even after hearing of Him foolishly disregard and disrespect Him as if He were just an ordinary mortal being.

..slokam 9-12..mattavizl kuzlali thayar sannithi..maan tholalartaithu kondaan vamanan thayar brama chari vedathukku yentru..sanghu chakra pushkarani.pushkala vartha vimanam..

moghasa mogha-karmano
mogha-jnana vicetasah
rakshasim asurim caiva
prakritim mohinim sritah

“Those who are thus bewildered are attracted by demonic and atheistic views. In that deluded condition, their hopes for liberation, their fruitive activities, and their culture of knowledge are all defeated.”

Mohinim = capable of confused or deluded; that is wrong impression about the Lord will be in them. Sritah = attain, rakshasim = rakshasa behaviour and rakshasa births, asurim = asura behaviour and asura births. ..Vicetasa = true understanding will not be. Mogha= wasted desires [amogham = utilised or not wasted]. Sri Rama’s arrows are called amogham, as they were never wasted and every arrow did its assignment without fail.Mogha gyana = wasted knowledge..

Ramanuja’s Commentary

The natures of the fiendish asura’s or the not divine and the hellish raksasas or the demoniac is very inveigling and shuts out from view the superior nature and qualities of infinite mercy and compassion that are concealed under Lord Krishna’s anthropomorphic exterior which appears human and this they espouse thinking He is also perishable. Such thinking causes them to become: moghasa of vain appetites having desires that will remain unfulfilled, mogha-karmano pursuing vain endeavours, mogha-jnana possessing vain knowledge that has no value inasmuch as it is based on false conceptions of Lord Krishna on the fundamental level and vicetasah or mentally fractured and confused about the Supreme Lord. By accepting the Supreme Lord of all to resemble and be equated with any other ordinary human, by such mentality whatever effort and endeavour is embarked upon with any goal in view shall all be done in vain for such actions will reap no fruition.

..slokam 9-13..sidhasrama -place in Bihar -bastar-where rama and lakshmana were taken by visvamidrar and introduced as vamana’s place….another name for seer kazli..kothanda ramar sannithi..swami dottacharya aadeenam kovil entha sannithi..oru kural pada mudiyuma yentru ketta thiru gjana sambandarukku oru kurallay yentru vama avadaram pattu paadinaar kaliyan..avarathu velai parisaha petraar..aali naadan ,arul maari,aratta mukki,adaiyaar seeyam,mangai vendan,para kalan yentra peyar..bakthi vuruvedutha silarukku yentru erukiraan..avaney dasaradar, vasudevan evarkallai thernthu eduthu kollhiraan..azlvar pities Him to have taken all the troubles just to redeem us..

mahatmanas tu mam partha
daivim prakritim asritah
bhajanty ananya-manaso
jnatva bhutadim avyayam

“O son of Pritha, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Creator of all and inexhaustible.”

Partha = Arjuna!, mahatmanas tu = whereas mahatman [ great devotees]. ..Mam = Me [Sri Krishna], daivim = divine, prakritim = qualities, asrita = attained. Bhutatim = as the Cause or Creator of entire living beings, avyayam = non-destructible, jnatva = understand..Ananya manasa = without concentrating mind on anything else, bhajanti = perform bhakti.

Ramanuja’s Commentary

But those whose self acquired merits have led them to approach the Supreme Lord as their sole sanctuary whose chains of sins have been dissolved and destroyed and who are born of the divine nature are the mahatmanas or of noble souls. The mahatmanas know Lord Krishna as the infinite source of all beings and cause of all creation whose lilas or divine pastimes are transcendental material existence and beyond the scope of mundane comprehension. The Supreme Lord Krishna incarnates His avatars or immortal incarnations out of His causeless compassion for all creation to protect the righteous. Knowing the Supreme Lord as such the great souls with minds exclusively devoted worship and adore Him inceesantly. Exclusive devotion of the mind denotes that exultant state of consciousness where one is imbued with ecstatic waves of love for the Supreme Lord where if without such a mood and feeling of worshipful devotion not only in the mind and by the external senses but from the atma as well then life would become without support and untenable. Such great souls worship the Supreme Lord with such intense one pointed focus that this worship alone constitutes their sole aim and complete goal.

..slokam 9-14..annan kovil..azlvaar sings both thiru vemkadathan and annan kovil in one song..thiru vella kulam..srinivasa perumal..sweda pushkarani..that is why thiru vellai kulam yentra peyar..anjeneyar sanni thiru kulathukku arhil..sweda was son of bindu maran of ishvahu dynasty..ipasadi sukla dasami to karthihai sukla ekadesi varai erunthu neeraadi varam petraan..sweda vimanam tatva dyodhaka vimanam..ethil sadana bakthi..bakthi moolam motsham adaivathai solli aduthathil sadya bakthi-swayam prayojana bakthi-pattri..bakthi pannuvathu bakthikkaha mattum..

satatam kirtayanto mam
yatantas ca drdha-vratah
namasyantas ca mam bhaktya
nitya-yukta upasate

“Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.”

..upasate = worship [the Lord], with the purpose of, nitya yukta = being always with the Lord. Satatam = always, kirtayanta = singing and chanting names, to heart content, mam = of Me [Sri Krishna], drdha vratha = with firm determination [ that He alone is the Lord], yatanta = perform archana, pooja, etc., namasyanta = prostrate to, mam = Me [Sri Krishna], bhaktya = along with devotion..Keertanam [singing], yatnam [performing yagna and other pooja], namasyanta [prostrating], bhakti [ love] and nitya-yukta [always being with the Lord]. All these should be with a firm determination. This is the state of the bhakti in the initial stage. We are nowhere near this.Prostrating should be sashtanga; that is eight parts should be placed before the Lord [two hands, two legs, one head, mind, intellect and faith]. Such a bhakta is going to become a mahatman, says Sri Krishna..

Ramanuja’s Commentary

The mahatmanas or great souls being overwhelmed with intense love for the Supreme Lord find it impossible to support their existence for even an infinitesimal part of a moment without always being engaged in chanting Lord Krishna’s holy names, singing His glories, enlightening one another about His lilas or divine pastimes, offering obeisance and salutation to Him with worship and propitiation and the offering of their very selves with loving devotion. With tremulous voices convulsed with holy joy they with yearning tones they incessantly call out His holy names such as Krishna, Rama, Narayana, Hari which connote distinguishable attributes of His Supreme nature. They constantly remember His lilas with tears in their eyes with their bodies ecstatically quivering in rapture, thrilled by the exciting recollection of such holy revelations. With equal zeal do still other mahatmanas assiduously perform holy duties of sacred worship of the Supreme Lord Krishna or any of His authorized avatars or incarnations and expansions as revealed Vedic scriptures. with firm determination. Others engage themselves in the constructions of temples of worship for the Supreme Lord along with laying out of flower and fruit gardens for the His service. Still others overcome by sacred devotion fully prostrate themselves upon the ground with all eight parts of their body like a fragile reed regardless of dust, dirt or prickling thorns and pebbles in humble obeisance to the Supreme Lord. The eight parts of the body are the heart, the intellect, the ego, the head, the two hands and two feet prostrating in unison with concerted devotion. Always striving with prayers of devotion and love for Lord Krishna, focused with the aim to be eternally united with Him, with fervid appeal they beseech Him incessantly again and again that they may attain Him solely as their only goal.

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Geetha Saaram 9-5 to 9-9.

July 10, 2008

slokam 9-5..oppili appan kovil..naangu aazlwaar mangalasasanam..also called Akasa nagar, Markandeya Kshetram and Thulasivanam..ahortahra pushkarani..aho=day rathri=night..eppozuthu neeraadinalum punyam kittum..sudha ananda vimanam..vinn-vaikundam.. angey pola sevai engeyum..srinivasarukku thamaiyanaar..Kazhi Sri Rama vinnagar [Seerkazhi], Parameshvara vinnagar near Kanchipuram, Arimeya vinnagar andVaikuntha vinnagar in Thirunangur [near Chidhambaram] and Nandipura vinnagar [Nathan koil] near Kumbakonam. But this Kshetram is called simply Vinnagar and this is unique. Like Viraja river flowing near Vaikuntam, here Dakshina Ganga is flowing.

na ca mat-sthani bhutani
pasya me yogam aishvaram
bhuta-bhrn na ca bhuta-stho
mamatma bhuta-bhavanah

“And yet everything that is created does not rest in Me. Behold My mystic opulence! Although I am the maintainer of all living entities and although I am everywhere, I am not a part of this cosmic manifestation, for My Self is the very source of creation.”

Bhutani = all living beings, mat sthani na = do not reside in Me [Sri Krishna]..sankalpa sakthiyaal elloraiyum thaanguhiraan.. Me yogam aiswaram = this great will power of Me [ Sri Krishna], pasya = [you, Arjuna] can see..Bhutabrit = [Sri Krishna] supports all living beings..elloraiyum cammand panni ellavatraiyilum prevade pannuhiraan..Na ca bhutastha = But [Sri Krishna] is not supported by all these living beings. Mama atma = My [Sri Krishna’s] will power, bhuta bhavana = is responsible for the creation, sustaining, destroying, growing, living,etc., of all thsee living beings.Nammalvaar aruliyathu pola nalguruvam..poverty and richness,enemity and friendship,poison and amirtham ellaam avan thaan..

Ramanuja’s Commentary

Lord Krishna states unequivocally na bhuta-stah meaning that He does not derives any support whatsoever from the myriads of unlimited created sentient and insentient beings. He is supremely independent and He specifically states that He is not upheld by them in any manner like that of a vessel upholding water. It is by His will alone that He supports and energises all existence. Just marvel on the wonder of His yoga aisvaram or divine supernatural power which is so fantastic and phenomenal and which there is no comparison in any form any where else in the past, present or future. What is this divine, supernatural power which is so mysterious that it controls, organises and directs all of creation with natural perfection. The word mamatma means by His own soul being for Him paramatma the Supreme Soul residing in all beings and this opulent of abundance constitutes the power of His will which alone is the cause of all existence. So He is bhuta- bhrt or the support of all existence and bhuta-bhavanah the protector of existence or that by which an order of existence is established. In the next verse an example will be given to emphasise how all things depend upon Lord Krishna’s will for their existence.

..slokam 9-6..yen appan enkiraar azlwar..mirugandu munivar kumaran markandeyarin mappilai evar..thulasi naatchiyaarum thavam eruntha edam..vayasana vedathil vanthu villaiyaattu kattinaar..uppu kooda poda theriyatha penn yentraar..ethaiyum yetrukollveyn yentraar..panguni saravanathil avatharam.. eipasi saravanathil thiru kalyanam..moolavarukkum udsavarukkum boo devi mattum thaan engey..yen appan ,pon appan ,mani appan ,muthappan ,and thiru vinn nagar appan(moolavar) yentru einthu appankall engey..moolavar valathu thiru karam dana hasdam..receiving the bride..changu chakaram yenthi vullaar..udsavar is pon appan..evarum dana hasdam.thayarudan sernthu thaan purapadu..moolavarukku thanga kavasam.. thaayarukkum thanga kavasam yerpadu ..boomi devi koopiya karangaludan sevai.. sudha ananda vimanathukkum thanga kavasam panna yerpadu..

yathakasa-sthito nityam
vayuh sarvatra-go mahan
tatha sarvani bhutani
mat-sthanity upadharaya

“Understand that as the mighty wind, blowing everywhere, rests always in the sky, all created beings rest in Me.”

Yata = how, nithyam = always, akasam = space..mudalil ahasam then vayu,agni water and earth ..sankalpa sakthi virithu sollikiran..Maha vayu = the great air, sarva pradha = is breezing all over. space and air both are supported by Him..Tata = similarly, sarvani = all, bhutani = living beings, mat sthani = depend on Me [Sri Krishna] for support. It yupa dharaya = believe so or have faith so..

Ramanuja’s Commentary

As all over infinite space which appears without support the mighty wind is able to blow and move everywhere. How is this possible? The wind blowing and infinite space itself is only possible due to the power of the Supreme Lord Krishna and yet His power cannot be perceived. Thus all creation abides within Him without knowing it. Those knowledgeable of the Vedic scriptures declare megodayas sagara sanni-vritti-rindor vibhagas sphurati va yo etc. meaning:The genesis of the clouds, the massing of the seas, the phases of the moon, the wafting of the wind, the flashing of lightning and the processions of the sun are all the marvellous miracles of the Supreme Lord. This is also confirmed in the Brihadaranya Upanisad V.VIII.IX beginning etasya va aksarasya meaning: By the sole command of the imperishable Supreme Lord the sun and moon are supported in their assigned spheres. The Taittriya Upanisad II.VIII.I beginning bhisha smad vatah pavate states: Out of fear of the Supreme Lord the wind blows, out of fear of the Supreme Lord the sun rises. It is by a mere fiat of the Supreme Lord Krishna’s will alone that the complete cosmic manifestaion and total material creation full of unlimited moving and non-moving beings are in existence and this is what has been revealed as absolute. In the next verse will be revealed that the origin, creation and dissolution of all beings is likewise produced by a fiat of His will as well.

..slokam 9-7..mani appanai sevikirom..uppu amritham devarkallukku koduthu amuthathil vantha penn amudathai kondavan ..evaneu amudham namakku..parkadal mahalakshmi pirantha edam..

sarva-bhutani kaunteya
prakritim yanti mamikam
kalpa-ksaye punas tani
kalpadau visrjamy aham

“O son of Kunti, at the end of the millennium all material manifestations enter into My nature, and at the beginning of another millennium, by My potency, I create them again.”

..Sarva bhutani = all living beings and objects, kalpa = Brahma’s life time, ksaye =when ends..Mamikam = in My [Sri Krishna’s] body, yanti = attain..layam adaihirathu ellaamey.. Kalpadau = again when Brahma’s life time starts, puna = again, stani = all these [atman and other matter mingled in moola prakruti], visrujami = get created by, aham = Me [Sri Krishna]. ..pralayam..nithya pralayam is daily occurance..naimitiha pralayam.=night time of Brahma…1000 chadur yugangallukku appuram (1000 times 4320,000 years).bhu bhuva and suva gets created ..after 100 brahma years sadya loham gets disolved and merges into His body=moola brkruthi..this is prakruta pralayam..finally the fourth pralayam is called adyantika pralayam when the soul reaches moksham..

Ramanuja’s Commentary

All beings movable and immovable enter into the Supreme Lord external nature know as prakriti or the transitory material substratum which identifies with tamas or nescience which is the non-sentient, undifferentiated vast expanse of mass matter in its indistinct state having no name, no form and no consciousness. The words kalpa-ksaye means at the time time of universal dissolution being the end of a maha-kalpa which is the conclusion of Brahma’s lifetime whereby one of his years equals 26 trillion, 439 billion and 400 million human years and his lifetime is 100 of such years. At this time all living entities are dissolved into the prakriti of Lord Krishna by His will alone and subsequently at the dawn of the next kalpa all living entities are projected out of the darkness by Lord Krishna to continue their karma or reactions from their previous actions exactly where they left off. Lord Krishna is willing to produce all the living entities from His own transcendental body. The Vedic scriptures declare: Of whom avyakta or imperceptible energy is His spiritual body. Avyakta merges into aksara or indestructible and aksara merges into tamas darkness. Manu Samhita I.VIII beginning se bhidyaya sarat svat aprakritam meaning it was darkness in the beginning and by darkness all was hidden and indiscernible.

..slokam 9-8..yen appan sannithi..prayoga chakaram..

prakritim svam avastabhya
visrijami punah punah
bhuta–gramam imam krtsnam
avasam prakriter vasat

“The whole cosmic order is under Me. Under My will it is automatically manifested again and again, and under My will it is annihilated at the end.”

Prakrter vasat = bound by prakruti, imam =this, krtsnam = without any exception, bhuta–gramam = living being groups, visrijami = [ I, Sri Krishna] create, puna puna = again and again, svam = my [Sri Krishna’s], prakrutim = prakruti [ as My, Sri Krishna’s body], avastabhya = manifests into Eight entities..we had seen earliar that moola prakruti is the raw material and gets transformed into prakruti, mahan, ahankaram and pancha tanmatras [ shabda, roopa, rasa, gandha and sparsa – sound, light, taste, scent and touch]. ..yellam avan sankalpa sakthiyal maarum..

Ramanuja’s Commentary

The Supreme Lord Krishna has perpetual recourse to His own marvellous modifiable external energy known as prakriti or the material substratum pervading all physical and subtle existence and differentiate it in eight fold ways. He repeatedly creates with regularity the fourfold divisions of created living entities being demigods, humans, animal and plants from their dormant inactive state, powerless under the control of prakritis alluring and bewildering gunas of passion, ignorance and goodness. Yet it may be thought that such creative acts involving imbalances and inequalities can cause reactions to come to the Supreme Lord Himself due to the result of having manifested a creation full of seemingly differences and contradictions. The reply to this query is clearly resolved in the next verse.

..slokam 9-9..thiru kandiyoor shedram..hara saba vimachana perumal is udsavar…kamalavalli thayar..kamala pushkarani..kamalakruth vimanam..pancha kamala shedram ..moolavar is bali -nada perumal..worshipped by maha bali..kandana+oor..kandana =breking the neck..curse due to breaking the neckwas removed here..pinpuram kapala pushkarani vezli puram kamala pushkarani..kantam=neck neela kandan..thiru karambanoor-uthamar kovil pola..under atmavil erunthalum ethanalum kattu padathavan avan..

na ca mam tani karmani
nibadhnanti dhananjaya
udasina-vad asinam
asaktam tesu karmasu

“O Dhananjaya, all this work cannot bind Me. I am ever detached from all these material activities, seated as though neutral.”..

.Tani karmani = all these actions [ like creation, destruction and sustaining], na nibhdhanti = do not affect [or, tie], mam = Me [Sri Krishna..not affected means the Lord can not be accused of the faults vaishamyam and naidhrunyam..Tesu karmasu = in those activities – that is in creation, sustaining and destruction, asaktam = [Sri Krishna has] no attachment.Udhaseena-vad = disinterested. That is, He is not on His own responsible for all actions. and remains disinterested..yellam namathu karma adipadaiyil nadakkum..

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Gheethaa Saaram 9-1 to 9-4

June 18, 2008

Gitartha sangraha, by Swami Alavandar.

svam¯ah¯atmyam.manus.yatve paratvam.ca mah¯atman¯am
vi´ses.o navame yogo bhaktir¯upah.prak¯ırtitah. 13

Navame = in the 9th Chapter, yogo = yoga, bhaktirupa = in bhakti roopam, prakirtita = explained. In Chapter 9, Bhakti yoga is explained. Bhakti yoga explanation started in Chapter 7, but is concluded in this Chapter only. Four aspects are explained in this Chapter:
1) Sva mahatmyam = the Lord explains His glory Himself. This was told in Chapter7 but is repeated again by the Lord. Why should He repeat? If Arjuna had understood it properly, immediately Arjuna should have started the war as advised by Sri Krishna. So, repetition has become necessary.
2) Manusyatve paratvam = The Lord’s Supremacy, even born as a man. In whatever form He appears, His Superiority as the Lord of all the Worlds, is always exhibited.
3) Mahatmanam visesha = Glory of mahatman, that is Devotees of the highest order, like Thirumazhisai Alwar or Bhaktisara. His devotion was so great that the titles of the Lord and the devotee were exchanged.
4) Yogo bhakti rupa = Bhakti yoga is glorified.
His greatness, His ever supremacy irrespective of how He appears, greatness of devotees and Bhakti yoga are explained in Chapter 9.

In chapter nine Lord Krishna reveals that the sovereign science and the sovereign secret. He explains how the entire material existence is created, prevaded, maintained and annihilated by His external energy and all beings are coming and going under His supervision. The subjects matters covered subsequently are primarily concerned with devotional service and the Lord Himself declares that these subject matters are most confidential. Thus this chapter is entitled: Confidential Knowledge of the Ultimate truth..

..slokam 9-1..vidhrur,sanjayar prahaladar,dhuruvar pontra bakthimankall pola aahanum..Thiru enthaloor perumal.parimala rengan..suhanda vana nadhan..reclining posture..chandra sabam pona edam.indhu or chandra pushkarani..Humility is essential for Bhakti. Without that we can not worship the Lord. Ego should be totally absent.

sri-bhagavan uvaca
idam tu te guhyatamam
pravaksyamy anasuyave
jnanam vijnana-sahitam
yaj jnatva moksyase ’subhat

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Arjuna, because you are never envious of Me, I shall impart to you this most confidential knowledge and realization, knowing which you shall be relieved of the miseries of material existence..

..Te idam = this, tamam = highest, guhya = secret. Sri Krishna is to tell the most precious of secrets- Bhakti yoga..Pravakshyami = I [Sri Krishna] am going to explain in detail [to Arjuna]. Jnanam = [knowledge] of Bhakti yoga, vijnana sahita = procedures to perform Bhakti yoga, yaj jnatva = by knowing which, moksyase = get liberated, asubhat = from all sins and punya [preventing to reach the Lord]. ..

Ramanuja’s Commentary

The fundamental principles distinguishing the different kinds of devotees of the Supreme Lord were discussed in the previous chapter. Now Lord Krishna reveals in this chapter:

The glorious magnificence and greatness of the object of devotion, the Parama Purusa or Supreme Being will be delineated.

The importance of the saintly devotees of the Supreme Lord will be explained.

The nature of bhakti or pure love in devotion will be examined.

Lord Krishna uses the word anusuyave which means without duplicity. Such a sincere person

..slokam 9-2..chandra saba vimosana valli thaayar..sugantha vana nayahi..parimala renga nayahi..veda aamodha vimanam.aamodham=happiness..promodham anandam also same meaning..sugantham because he got the vedas back from madhu-kaidabars..

raja-vidya raja-guhyam
pavitram idam uttamam
pratyakshavagamam dharmyam
su-sukham kartum avyayam

“This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self by realization, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting, and it is joyfully performed

..Idam = this Bhakti yoga, raja-vidya = king among all knowledge, raja-guhyam = king among all secrets..Pavitram = capable of removing dirt, uttamam = best. Bhakti yoga is the best to remove all the dirt in us. That is removal of papa/punya and samsaram..Pratyaksham = perceptible, avagamam = feel of Me [Sri Krishna]. Person practicing Bhakti yoga can have the vision of the Lord..Dharmyam = is the means [to reach the Lord]. Kartum = while performing [Bhakti yoga], su-sukham = most comfortable or pleasing. Avyayam = never diminishing [ even after granting all the benefits]. ..

Ramanuja’s Commentary ..

What is the tad brahma or the supreme,spiritual substratum pervading all existence? What is adhiyatma or the soul within all embodied beings? What is karma or the equal reaction to any action? How is it possible to effect moksa or liberation from the cycle of birth and death by knowing these things and taking shelter of Bhagavan or the possessor of full knowledge, full power, full fame, full wealth, full beauty and full renunciation, who is the Supreme Lord Krishna? What is the adhibhuta referring to embodied beings and adhidaivas referring to the demigods which the atharthis or seekers of wealth must know? What also is indicated by the term adhiyagna which all three classes of aspirants have to be cognisant of beings atharthis, jijnasurs or those desiring soul realisation and jnani’s or those exclusively seeking the Supreme Lord and why is it specially characterised? Finally Arjuna wanted to know specifically in what way is the Supreme Lord Krishna to be realised by persons of controlled mind and senses at the time of death

..slokam 9-3..veera sayanam with four arms here..bujanga sayanam is on adi seshan..anantha sayanam..thala sayanam..uthana sayanam..bala sayanam are the other sayanams..thalai pakkam ganga thayar..thiruvadiyil kaveri thayar..ganga came here to wash off her sins by bathin in kaveri..eippasi mudalilum amavasai antrum kadaisi 120 naalum perumal ezlunthu aruluhirar..udsavar perumal, thayar thiru muha mandalam azlahu..Upanishad says ‘nanya patha ayanaya vidhyate tamevam vidwan amrutha iha bhavati’. There is no other way, than to meditate on God and do bhakti. Ayanaya = attaining Sri Vaikuntam..

asraddadhanah purusha
dharmasyasya parantapa
aprapya mam nivartante
mrityu-samsara-vartmani

“Those who are not faithful in this devotional service cannot attain Me, O conqueror of enemies. Therefore they return to the path of birth and death in this material world.”..

..Asya dharnasya = this means or way ..Paranthapa = destroyer of enemies [Arjuna], ashraddha = without interest [ to attain the Lord]; ..Mam = Me [Sri Krishna], aprapya = not attaining, mrutyu = death like, samsaram =rebirths, varthmani = repetitive cycles.Nivartante = get fully involved [ in the rebirth and accumulation of more and more papa/punya]. Four words of this sloka are important: purusha, mam, aprapya and nivartante. Purusha means those who are eligible to reach the Lord by practicing Bhakti yoga. Such people discard this smooth path to reach Him. Mam – such people lose the greatest of wealth, the Lord. Aprapya – the Lord is waiting to take that person in His fold; but that person is not realizing and chooses other benefits. Nivartante– this samsaram is very inferior and many scholars and Acharyas have explained the disadvantages; despite all these, they want to live in this and get all disadvantage. So, Bhakti is essential to reach Him..

Ramanuja’s Commentary What is designated in verse one as tad brahma or the supreme spiritual substratum pervading all existence is the aksaram paramam or the supreme indestructible atma or soul. Aksaram is that which is not subject to decay or imperishable and is the collective given by the ksetrajnanis or those knowledgeable of the field of action or the informers of uninformed matter and atma embodied beings. The Subala Upanisad II states avyakta the indiscernible compound of spirit and matter merges into the aksara the indivisible compound which descends into tamas or nescience. Parama aksaram is the superior indestructible atma nature which is completely disengaged from prakriti or the material substratum and not connected to even the aksaram which comprises embodied beings and combines both. The word svabhavo is also called adhyatma and indicates subtle material elements and its accompanying erratic tendencies. These subtle elements are what adheres to the atma in the descent of the supra subtle quintuple process from spirit to matter, the last being the fifth stage which becomes the seminal fluids referred to in the Panca-agni-vidva or five-fold sacrificial fires which are described in the Chandogya Upanisad:V.III-X which is essential and has to be known by all aspirants. Both aksara and adhyatma must be realised by the mumumkshus or emancipation seekers for moksa or liberation from material existence as aksara the immortal soul is that what is worthy of selection and adhyatma the embodied being incarcerated in matter is worthy of rejection. The sequence which manifests this descent into matter by the jiva or embodied being is called visargah and karma refers to that specific action which activates a corresponding reaction and determines the destination and manifestation of all creatures into embodied states whether human, animal, fish etc. The final action which actually causes manifestation into material existence is known as procreation between males and females of different species. The Vedic scriptures declare that in the fifth stage the male discharges the sacrificial water into the females sacrificial fire and a new embodied being is created. This act is known as karma. The knowledge of karma, aksara and adhyatma are all prerequisites of knowledge absolutely essential for those seeking moksa or liberation from the material existence. Otherwise one will be ignorant of what is worthy of rejection and what is worthy of attention and unable to properly interact accordingly. An example is following in verse 11 concerning brahmacarya or celibacy.

..slokam 9-4..sthala vrusham panneer maram..ekadesi mandabam azlahu..vaazlanthey pom neer yentru aazlvar paadi erukiraar..

maya tatam idam sarvam
jagad avyakta–murtina
mat-sthani sarva–bhutani
na caham tesv avasthitah

“By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them.”

.Idam = this [ what we see and perceive], sarvam = entire, jagad =Universe, maya =by Me [Sri Krishna], tatam = is well pervaded..Avyakta murtina = [the Lord’s form is] imperceptible image..Vyapakatvam is for ruling and supporting, those objects. Mat sthani = Keeping Me [Sri Krishna] as dwelling place, sarva dbhutani = all living beings [ without exception]. ..Tesu = in those living beings, aham = I [Sri Krishna], na avastita = not there.

Ramanuja’s Commentary By the word adhibhutam or those things pertaining to physical objects sought after by aisvaryarthis or fortune seekers are those things of a perishable nature including the supra subtle principles of sound, sight, smell etc. which are latent in their elements of ether, fire, earth etc and develop therefrom into their support system being the senses. All these things must certainly be comprehended and contemplated by them.

The word adhidaivatam refers to the purusha or the ultimate, original supreme being whose status is superior and elevated above the 330 million demigods and all other celestials and lesser divinities and gods as well. This is the Supreme Lord Krishna who is the possessor and enjoyer of all the supramundane enjoyments of rare and equisite delights of His transcendental senses of sound and sight etc as the ultimate recipient of all yagna or worship and propitiation, even more then that experienced in the heavenly planets by Indra and Brahma. The aivaryarthis or fortune seekers must meditate on the purusha as the Supreme Being and ultimate enjoyer of all the subtle transcendental delights and this is what is called knowing the adhidaivatam.

The adhiyagna denotes the Supreme Lord Krishna, Himself. It is He as the indwelling monitor in all the demigods and other gods and all sentient beings and whose total aggregate of atmas or eternal souls constitute His transcendental, spiritual body and as such He receives first worship and propitiation from all yagnas. Thus as the adhiyagna he is the indwelling monitor established in the heart of all beings and He is the one whom the three classes of devotees have to realise and meditate upon as a maha yagna or great offering in all their nitya and namaitta or eternal and occasional acts of worship.

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Geethaa Saaram 8-25 to 8-28

June 18, 2008

..slokam 8-25..komalavali thayar sannithi.. 10 nall udsavathil chakrabaniyum sernthu sevai..kalaivaay thunbam paasurathil nammaazlvar aaravamudan mattum thaan nam thunbam pokka mudiyum yenkiraar..dhoormadi margam pattri entha slokathil sollukiraan..dakshinayana vasalil naanghu narasimhar.mey vasal udaiyaar.lakshmi narayanaraiyum sevikalaam.. yeera vasthirathudan ramar jadayukuum krishnar virudar darma puthirarukkum paninathu pola evarum karma panninaaraam..

dhooma=smoke..darknessFirst palce is therefore darkness and smoky. Second, is night. Third is the krishna paksh or wanining period of the moon. Fourth is Dakshinayanam, the Six months, when the Sun travels from Tropic of Cancer to Tropic of Capricon. These are all opposite of what we saw in the last sloka. [As mentioned in Upanishads] the Fifth place is Pithru lok [ world of deceased ancestors]. Sixth place is Akash or space. Seventh place would be chandra lok. Here also the Lord says yogi reaches Chandralok. But the yogi mentioned in the last sloka is the one who had realized the Brahmam, or Gyani. But here the yogi mentioned has performed lots of good deeds and wants to reach worlds of higher planes. He would have performed good deeds like building temples, creating ponds for public welfare, etc. Yogi = person who has performed such noble deeds, prapya = after reaching Chandra lok, nivartate = returns back to this karma bhoomi [Universe]. There are some called Ahivahika ..

Ramanuja’s Commentary

The word dhumah meaning smoke indicates the presiding demigod of the path in which lies the Pitri-loka the realm of the manes or ancestors. The word yogi has been used to denote a spiritual person who performs Vedic activities.

..slokam 8-26..kidantha thiru kolam..andal evan soodiya thiru thuzlaay konndu thanai alangarikka sollukiraall..koonilatha mutham yenkiraar perialwar entha maadathai.. we have to have our sight on archiradhi marg, resembling the koonila muththam.

sukla-krsne gati hy ete
jagatah sasvate mate
ekaya yaty anavrttim
anyayavartate punah

“According to Vedic opinion, there are two ways of passing from this world—one in light and one in darkness. When one passes in light, he does not come back; but when one passes in darkness, he returns.”..

..Sukla = white, krsna =dark, gati = routes, hyete =these, jagata = here ..Sasvate = permanent, mate = is told. Ekaya = [of these two] in one [that is sukla or archiradhi marg], yati = reaches, anavrittim = no-return place, anyaya = [while] by the other different route [by Krishna marg], avartate = returns, puna = again..

Ramanuja’s Commentary

The path of light is the archi-adi being illuminating and the path of darkness is the dhumadi or smoke. One who at death is guided on the path of light does not return to the worlds of mortals; but one who is at death guided on the path of darkness does return and must be reborn again. The path of light is dual for two types of aspirants being: the jnani the god seeker and the jijnasuh the soul seeker. The path of darkness is singular is for the atharthi or fruitive seeker who performs meritorious activities with the desire to reap the benefits and rewards in the hereafter. Thus two paths are given for the three types of aspirants. The Chandogya Upanisad V.X.I-III states: Those aspirants who have realized the atma or soul and those who in seclusion meditate with faith and devotion on the omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent Supreme Lord enter the archi-adi path of light and do not return. Those aspirants who in their daily affairs devote themselves to Vedic rituals, public works, charity and philanthropic activities as well as other pious acts, all enter the dhumo the path of darkness and must return.

..slokam 8-27..chitra ther thiru ezlu kootrirukkai..mara ther..kal ther garba graham..chitrai madam chitra nadshdrathil ther..aaravamuda perumal thiru mangai azlvarin aaraalum mangalasasanam panna paduhiraar..thiru nedum thandahathil kadaisiyilum evar thaan mangalasasanam panna paduhiraar..thiru kurumthandahathil evan a basket of precious stones is nothin compared to Him..

naite srti partha janan
yogi muhyati kascana
tasmat sarveshu kaleshu
yoga-yukto bhavarjuna

“Although the devotees know these two paths, O Arjuna, they are never bewildered. Therefore be always fixed in devotion.”

Arjuna = Arjuna, tasmat = therefore, sarveshu kaleshu = at all times and always, yoga-yukta = associated with yoga, bhava = be..Kascana yogi = any yogi, ete = these two, sriti = krishna and shukla routes, janan = knowledgeable, na muhyati = will not be worried..

Ramanuja’s Commentary

Lord Krishna declares that knowing the archi-adi the path of light which leads to moksa or liberation from material existence and the path of darkness which leads to bondage in the material existence there will never be any infatuation and delusion at the time of death for a yogi or one perfecting the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the ultimate consciousness. Such a yogi will travel by their own self earned divine path escorted by the presiding demigods of the path of light. Thus one should with great faith and enthusiasm meditate on and perform selfless Vedic activities without desire that keeps one firmly upon this path. Daily meditation constitutes the proper performance of one’s daily activities as authorised by the bonafide spiritual master either Vaisnava or Brahmana from one of the four bonafide sampradayas as revealed in Vedic scriptures.

..slokam 8-28..nammazlvar thanathu thiru karathai eruthayathil vaithullaar..aaravamudan..Dravida sruthi darsakaya nama: Dravida sruthi implies Tamil Vedas, which is Nalayira Divya Prabhandam..here He summaraises..He is the means and cause for the universe..he supports all. he prevades all and comands all..

vedesu yajnesu tapahsu caiva
danesu yat punya-phalam pradistam
atyeti tat sarvam idam viditva
yogi param sthanam upaiti cadyam

” A person by understanding all these reaches beyond what by performing yagna, tapas and chairity as stipulated in Vedas, could yield noble results; he reaches the highest and most ancient place.”

Vedesu = in Vedas, yagnesu = yagnas, yat punya phalam = whatever punya results, pradhishtam = will be recieved. Similarly, tapasu = meditations, danesu = chairities..atyeti = stands beyond them..Idam sarvam = all these, viditva = having learnt, tat = that person. .Yogi = person now desirous of reaching the Lord, thinking always about archiradhi marg, param sthanam = higheast place [ Vaikuntam], adyam sthanam = very ancient place [ Vaikuntam], upaiti = reaches..

Yogi = person now desirous of reaching the Lord, thinking always about archiradhi marg, param sthanam = higheast place [ Vaikuntam], adyam sthanam = very ancient place [ Vaikuntam], upaiti = reaches

Ramanuja’s Commentary

Now the result of knowing the Vedic conclusion to this chapter and the previous chapter is being stated by Lord Krishna with the words vedesu yagnesu,tapahsu caiva danesu. vedesu is the study of the Rig Veda, the Yajur Veda, the Sama Veda and the Atharva Veda as well as all other Vedic scriptures. yagnesu is the performance of yagna or various Vedic ritualistic activities in propitiation tapahsu is engaging in tapasya or rigorous austerities and penance like extreme fasting danesu is giving charity and doing philanthropic works such as feeding the poor

All these four activities give great merit but whatever merits are assigned in the Vedic scriptures for these pious activities they are all eclipsed and surpassed by that liberated being who knows the glorious pre-eminent position of the Supreme Lord as revealed by Lord Krishna in these two chapters. Such a being transcends in their very existence. This means that the bliss in realising the ultimate reality of the Supreme Lord’s paramount and exalted state in comparison makes the rewards appointed in the Vedas as insignificant as a blade of grass. To be a yogi or one perfecting the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the ultimate consciousness, is assuredly achieved by this transcendence and such a one assuredly attains the ultimate goal in association with the Supreme Lord.

…slokam..thirumazlisai azlvar thiruvarasu..He lived for 4700 years and spent the last 700 years here..thirumazlisai piran and aravamuda az;var..they exchanged part of their amrs..bakthi sarar pohum edam ellaam thirumbi paarthaan..ezlunthirunthu pesu vazli kesaney yentraar..the essence of chapter 9 is that He will do any thing for bakthimaan..varantharum perumal moolavar bakthisara varadan udsavar padmasini thayar ..thiruvarasil sevai saathikiraarkall..nathamini, ramanujar, maa muni sevaiyum vunndu..parvathi-siva sambasanai..Bhava sarma was a brahmin, living with all bad habits. He never did any of his prescribed duties. In the death bed he remembered the palm trees which yielded liquor and so after death he was born as a palm tree [ as mentioned in the Chapter 8, one attains the same thoughts in the last moments]. Under this tree there lived a brahmarakshas couple Kusubalan and Sumati. Before death, the wife out of greed forced her husband to beg in chairities indiscriminately, resulting in getting this brahmarakshas appearance after death. One day she asked her husband the means to get rid of the brahmarakshas form. The husband, who was well learned, explained that they should realize Brahman. She inadvarently, repeated the 1st sloka of Chapter 8, where the Lord is explained as Sri Purushottama. Instantly, listening to this, the palm tree with a blast broke up and Bhava sarma appeared. The brahmarakshas couple also regained their earlier forms.

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Geetha Saaram 8-20 to 8-24

June 18, 2008

.slokam 8-20..Kumba konum Rama swami kovilil..ramar Pattaabisheha kolam.. villai lakshmanaridam koduthu erukiraar..seetha pirattiyum eruntha thiru kolam..rare ..sadrugnan veesuhirar..baradan kudai pidikiraar..anjeneyar thiruvadiyil..thamburaum ramayana pushtahamum vaithu kondu erukiraar..dakshina ayodhya..20,21 slokathaal kaivalyam pattri solluhiraan..boomiyil piranthaal modsham adaiya vazli vunndu..kaivalyam petraal athu kidaiyaathu..pralayathaalum azliyaathathu kaivalyam..

paras tasmat tu bhavo ’nyo
’vyakto ’vyaktat sanatanah
yah sa sarveshu bhutesu
nasyatsu na vinasyati

“Yet there is another unmanifest nature, which is eternal and is transcendental to this manifested and unmanifested matter. It is supreme and is never annihilated. When all in this world is annihilated, that part remains as it is.”
..Sarvshu bhuteshu = all living and non’living things [both karana or cause and karya or effect], nasyatsu = even when being destroyed, na vinasyati = [kaivalyam attained ones] will never get destroyed. He is muktatman; either in Vaikuntam or in Kaivalyam. Avyakta = moola prakruti [ the first raw material used by the Lord for creation], tasmad avyakta para = this [person in Kaivalyam ] is in a superior or higher place than the prime raw material. Anya bhava = different from all, experience, avyakta = can not be perceived by anyone as to what is [the person who has attained kaivalyam] his experience or how he lives, etc. Sanatana = he will remain ancient..

Ramanuja’s commentary..There is no commentary for this verse.

..slokam 8-21..kannadi arai..niraiya sirbangal.. ceiling niraiya ramayana oviyam ullana..orey thoonil ramar, seetha.lakshmana and hanuman..lakshmanar sugreeva pattaabisheham panuvathai veru thoonil paarkalaam..vamana thiru vikramanar ennoru thoonil.. manmadan veru ontril..rama eranndu ashrama yellam thara vallathu..

avyakto ’kshara ity uktas
tam ahuh paramam gatim
yam prapya na nivartante
tad dhama paramam mama

“That which the Vedantists describe as unmanifest and infallible, that which is known as the supreme destination, that place from which, having attained it, one never returns—that is My supreme abode.”

….Avyakta = can not be perceived by the sense organs…Aksharam = non- decaying..Ityukta = like this the muktatman is praised. Tam = reaching that muktatman stage, paramam gathim = a very noble attainment, ahu= so say them ..Yam prapya = by reaching which [Kaivalyam ], na nivartante = they do not return back to this samsaram, tad = that, mama = My [Sri Krishna’s], dhama paramam = noble creation..

Ramanuja’s Commentary

Lord Krishna now reveals His superior conscious avyakta or unmanifest which is different in principle and substance then the unconscious avyakta or unmanifest of Brahma which is non-intelligent and operates according to set parameters. Lord Krishna’s superior avyakta is characterised by eternality due to its possession atma tattva or soul realisation. Thus it is also characterised by jnana or consciousness. Avyakta is also known as indistinct because it beyond any perceptive faculty of the mind or senses to cognise it as a perceivable reality. The purport is that avyakta is a principle of self-consciousness and as such is completely unique in its nature. The word sanatanah meaning eternal because His supreior avyakta is not subject to combination and aggregation or resolution and disintegration and never disperses or dissipates when all the material elements of earth, water, fire, air and ether in there rudimental forms and derivative forms dissolve away although His superior avyakta abides within them. This is why the Vedic scriptures call it avyakta or indistinct as well as aksara or indestructible. Those steeped in the wisdom of the Vedic scriptures have declared that this is the paramam gatim or supreme exalted goal to be achieved. Lord Krishna previously mentioned aksara in verse three of this chapter and will later mention it again in chapters XII.III and XV.XVI.

The superior state of avyakta is where atma tattva or soul realisation abounds and when once reached immediately precludes forever the subjection to union with matter again as there is no more rebirth for reincarnation has been terminated. Lord Krishna specifies their destination with the words dhama paramam mama meaning His supreme personal abode of eternity, knowledge and bliss where all things reciprocate fully with Him and is the abode of the liberated beings. The word dhama also denotes luminosity as in the light of consciousness which is the primary attribute of the atma or soul. Thus Lord Krishna is indicating His paramam dhama as non-different from the infinite consciousness of the atma in contrast to the limited state of consciousness one possesses who is oblivious to the atma due to being deluded by the illusory material energy known as maya and cherishing the association of the senses with sense objects. The other avyakta where resides praktiti or the material substratum which contains all living entities and which is perishable is controlled by Lord Krishna as well through His manifestation as the eternal atma or soul within the etheric heart of all created beings throughout all existence. This is the abode of the non-liberated beings. From the superior avyakta there is no return to samsara the cycle of birth and death. The next verse will show how the goal of the jnani or knower of the Supreme Lord is the most sublime state of consciousness, more exalted than any other.

..slokam 8-22..rama navami antru ther..in soorya prabai rama is decorated as krishna..chitrai punarvasu..avadara and pattabisheha nadshadram..raghunada naikkum avar manaivikkum nintru sevai thantha pinbu thirumbuhirar..chit ahit eranadaiyum vittu easvara anubavam peranum.. eisvaryam, kaivalyam eradaiyum vittu avanaiyey pera aasai padanum..guhanum, hanumanum pola erukkanum..

purushah sa parah partha
bhaktya labhyas tv ananyaya
yasyantah–sthani bhutani
yena sarvam idam tatam

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is greater than all, is attainable by unalloyed devotion. Although He is present in His abode, He is all-pervading, and everything is situated within Him.”
..Para = supreme and the most exalted, purusha = Sriman Narayana, the Lord, labda = is reached or attained. Ananya = not diverted in other things, bhaktya = devoted, labda = attained..Poornathva – possessing all auspicious qualities in total – also implies Purusha. Most ancient –purana– and so Purusha. He is Purusha also because He grants anything desired..Yasya = in Him [Sri Krishna], anta sthani = are established inside, bhutani = all living matters..Yena = by Whom, sarvam idam = all things we see, tatam = are pervaded. ..

Ramanuja’s Commentary

The Supreme Purusa is He in whom all things reside and who resides in all things. He the Supreme Being is accessible only by bhakti or unadulterated loving devotion.

..slokam 8-23..potramai kulam in saranga pani kovil..thaayar perumal thiru kalyanam on pongal-mahara sangranthi ..masi maham theppodsavam..kanu moontru thaayarum-komala valli ,vijaya valli and seetha piratti.. yezluvaarkall engey..

yatra kale tv anavrttim
avrttim caiva yoginah
prayata yanti tam kalam
vaksyami bharatarsabha

“O best of the Bharatas, I shall now explain to you the different times at which, passing away from this world, the yogi does or does not come back.”..

..Bharatarsabha = noble one of Bharatha dynasty [Arjuna], yatra = in which, kale = path [here kale does not mean time but the route].Anavrittim = no-return [to samsaram] , avrittim = return [back to samsaram],yogina = yogis would attain. Prayata = travelling, yanti = attain, vaksyami = I [Sri Krishna] will tell [Arjuna..Here yogi means gyani who will seek only the Lord and would attain Him. They will attain a place from where there would be no more return [anavrutti] to this Universe..

Ramanuja’s Commentary

Now the journey which is known as archir-adi or the path beginning with light which is common to the jijnasur the knower of atma tattva or soul realisation as well as the bhakta or loving devotee of the parama purusa the supreme personality. The Vedic scriptures declare that the archir-adi is the path by which both these types of aspirants travel at the time of death. It is the road travelled by which there is no returning to the worlds of mortals. The Vedic scriptures when explaining panca-agni-vidya the system of the five fires states: Those who have realised the atma or soul, those who meditate on the Supreme Lord with full faith, those who worship the Supreme Lord with bhakti or loving devotion. Those who do these activities alone in a private place reach the archi the deity of light, from there to the deity of day etc. as explained in the Chandogya Upanisad V.II-XV beginning tad ya ittham vidur. One who travels by the archi-adi path reaches Parabrahma the supreme being and thus returns not to the material worlds. This is confirmed in the Chandogya Upanisad IV.XV.IV beginning enan Brahma gamayati which states: He the servitor named Amanava to the appropriate demigod, escorts the souls who have achieved moksa or liberation from material existence to Brahmaloka from where they are no longer subjected to reincarnation in samsara the perpetual cycle of birth and death.

Those who have realised the atma are not in the same category as those aspirants who diligently practice the para-vidya the supreme knowledge declared by Brahma because success in that is determined first by atma tattva or soul realisation. Otherwise if there was no difference between the two then it would have been unnecessary for Lord Krishna to mention the path leading to rebirth and the path leading to no rebirth. The Chandogya Upanisad V.IX.I states: Thus do the waters come to be designated as the Purusa in the fifth oblation. Those who have performed righteous deeds and those who have performed abominable deeds receive physical forms in conjunction and accordance with these activities and are fashioned out of the five elements in which water is predominant. The atma is not these forms but just embodied in these forms by the dictates of karma or reactions from past actions. So this is the distinction and those who understand the reality of atma in this way qualify for the archi-adi and achieving moksa or liberation no longer return to the realms of mortal existence. The conclusive understanding is that non-intelligent nature being material like the physical body is always fit to be discarded and the intelligent nature being spiritual like the atma is always fit to be embraced. Those who follow the spiritual nature and realise the atma travel the path of archi-adi and return not to samsara the perpetual cycle of birth and death.

The previous passage that the servitor Amanava escorts the souls to Brahmaloka is applicable to both the followers of the spiritual nature being the jijnasuh or the soul seeker and the jnani the god seeker, as the meditation of the former consists of reflecting on the atma, devoid of matter without any material conceptions as being one with the brahman or the spiritual substratum pervading all existence,. This conforms with the Vedic axiom known as tat krata-nyaya or that similar efforts yield similar results; therefore when realisation of the brahman is the focus of one’s aspirations then one devotes themselves to contemplation of the brahman. So the realisation of the brahman is achieved by dint of the aspirants contemplation on the brahman. How exactly is the jijnasur to contemplate the brahman is that they look at the brahman as ancillary to the atma which is the primary goal. Whereas the jnani meditates on the brahman as the effulgence of the Supreme Lord Himself and looks at the atma as ancillary to that, the Supreme Lord being the primary goal. Giving credence to the fact that the atma or soul is in reality part and parcel of the eternal ultimate Supreme Being as well as the brahman is verified in the Brihad- aranyaka Upanisad V.VII.XXII beginning ya atmani tisthan which states: The brahman abides in the atma, by whom the atma is the body.

..slokam 8-24..saranga pani kovil–150adi vuryara goburam..perumal theril..geethai sonna kananum theril..thayar hema maharishi -brhu maharishi reborn.-penn…vaidiha vimanam–same as pranavakara vimanam as in Srirengam..pathala srinivasar sannithi..utharayana vasal vazli vanthau thiruvadi sevai..utharayana means great..Here in this sannidhi while doing archana to the Lord one Divine name is mentioned. ‘ Ayana dvisaya utrancha prani moksha pradhayaka‘. Two ayanams- Utharyanam and Dakshinayanam, utrancha = exiting, prani = living beings, moksha pradhayaka = grants Moksham..

agnir jyotir ahah suklah
san-masa uttarayanam
tatra prayata gacchanti
brahma brahma-vido janah

“Those who know the Supreme Brahman attain that Supreme by passing away from the world , crossing the places of light, place of the gods for daytime, waxing phase of moon, utharyanam.”

..Archit means light and so archiradhi marg means firstly light filled route. That is why Sri Krishna tells jyoti = light. Aha = the place of residence of the god for day time. Sukla = place of the god for shukla paksha or the growing phase of the Moon. Utharayanam = the place of the god for Utharayanam..Thus four places, viz. of light, of Daytime, of Shukla paksh and of Utharayanam are mentioned. In Upanishads in addition the place of Samvatsaram [ god for year], Vayu [air] lok, Surya lok, Chandra lok, Vidyut [lightning] lok, Varuna [rain god] lok, Indra lok and Satya lok [of Brahma] are mentioned. Thus there are 12 places [ Four mentioned in the Gita sloka and eight more mentioned in Upanishads] the atman crosses…Tatra prayata = those travelling in this route, brahma vido = desirous of reaching Brahmam, brahma gacchanti = they reach the place of Brahmam, that is Vaikuntam…

Ramanuja’s Commentary

Time in this verse indicates the route where the presiding demigods over the various time divisions from the day up to a year, reside in great numbers. Their route is either that path going by which yogis or those perfecting the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the ultimate consciousness are not subject to rebirth; or that path where persons of righteous deeds are born again. This last path Lord Krishna is describing now. The mention of fire, illumination, day, waxing moon and the suns six month sojourn on its waxing northern journey implies the year as well.

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Geethaa Saaram 8-15 to 8-19

May 26, 2008

..slokam 8-15..renganathar nintra thiru kolam.azlwar aruliya thiru palli ezlutchi kettu..thirumaal erum solai azlaharum thirumalai srinivasanum sevai saathikiraarkall..renganai kanna azlavaar vullam vuruhikannkallil erunthu kaaveri pola kanneer malhinaar aazlvar..thirumalai nama sangeerthana mahimai solluhirathu.bagavathlabarthi mattum mahatma yenkiraan..avan arulal thaan avanai peralaam..veda nool praayam nooru paasuram sonnathu pola seekiram avan arul pera venndi kollanum..

mam upetya punar janma
duhkhalayam asasvatam
napnuvanti mahatmanah
samsiddhim paramam gatah

“After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogis in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection.”

..Sam siddhim = supreme level of attaining the Lord [ siddhi = attaining atman and sam siddhi = attaining the Lord]. Paramam = nothing superior to that [sam siddhi]. Upetya = after reaching, mam = Me [Sri Krishna], alayam = abode of, dukha = sorrows, asasvata = temporary or non-permanent, punar janma = re-birth in a body, napnuvanti = [they] will never have..

Ramanuja’s Commentary

Those who attain Lord Krishna do not return to the impermanent material existence and temporary condition of samsara the perpetual cycle of birth and death the abode of misery and suffering. The devotees of Lord Krishna are mahatmas or great, noble souls who have enlightened themselves as to the real nature of His nama or name, rupa or form, guna or attributes, dhama or abode and lila or divine pastimes. Such exalted beings feel such fervid love for Him in separation that their very life becomes unsupportable. Those whose mind are focused on Him and whose heart is only for Him in bhakti or loving devotion is the very heart in which He resides. Those who by incessantly meditating upon Him will attain the highest perfection which is the Supreme Lord Krishna. Next will be discussed why the arthathi or seeker of wealth return to material existence and the bhaktas or the devotees of Lord Krishna are liberated from material existence..

slokam 8-16.renganayahi thaayaar sannithi.oru thiru kaiyil malarntha pushbamum aduthathil moodiyathum.sengazlaneer vaay malarnthu aanbal vaay moodinathu pola..Sri vaikundam is nithya viboothi..ayodya..we should aim to get that with His grace..thirumalai membadu paasurathil aruliyathu pola..

-brahma-bhuvanal lokah
punar avartino ’rjuna
mam upetya tu kaunteya
punar janma na vidyate

“From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one who attains to My abode, O son of Kunti, never takes birth again.”

..Lokah = worlds of, a brahma = starting from Brahma’s [satya loka] , bhuvana = all the worlds.Punar avartina= one day are bound to be destroyed. Where as the World of the Lord, Sri Vaikuntam, never gets destroyed..Tu =but if, upetya = [this devotee] attains, mam = Me [Sri Krishna], punar janma = re birth, na vidyate = never gets.

Ramanuja’s Commentary

All the worlds throughout the Brahmanda or the levels of material creation from the topmost Brahmaloka down to lowest Pataloka are appointed realms where beings may taste as much as they are able material happiness in the form of wealth, power, dominion, etc. But these material realms are impermanent and perishable. Inasmuch as the very realms where such activities of enjoyment are unstable and transitory then it can be understood that the happiness and pleasures experienced there are fleeting and temporary and some time come to an end. This is inevitable. To the contrary those who perform bhakti or loving devotion to Lord Krishna who is omniscient and omnipotent and whom the complete cosmic manifestation of creation and dissolution is emanating from Him as mere sport. He who is the most compassionate, the most merciful, the most enduring being eternal; once His devotees attain Him there is no question of rebirth being reincarnated again in a womb in the material existence. By Lord Krishna’s grace they directly attain the eternal spiritual worlds in His association. The next three verses will be a dissertation on the great cycles of created beings as willed by the Supreme Lord which periodically regulates the appearance and disappearance of all regions in the material existence beginning with the realm of Brahma the designer and architect of creation.

..slokam 8-17..thiru kudanthai chakra bani sthalam..sarnga(-vill) baani..ramaswaami sannithi moontrum ..thiru kudanthai kumba konam baskara shedram kalyana puram pala peyarkall..kuda mooku thirinthu kumba konum aanathu..sooriyanar davam eruntha edam..masi maham..thirumazlisai aalwaarukkum entha shedrathukkum romba thodarbu..avarey sudarsana amsam..azlvar .piraan pattam orutharukku oruthar arulli – aaravamutha aazlwar aanaar evar..thiru mazlisai piraan aanaar avar..kala chakaram, yuga chakaram..jagad chakaram pattri chakarath aazlwaar sannithiyil villakka peruhirom..We have 365 days make one year and our life is 100 years. Lord Brahma also has 100 years of life; but the year here is Brahma year and not our years. To know how much is Brahma year, we have to know that one chatur yug has 4,320,000 our years. Thousand such years or 4,320,000,000 years is Brahma;s one day time Therefore two such periods make one full day or 8,640,000,000 years [ Eight billion and six hundred and forty million years] make one complete day for lord Brahma. 365 such days make oneBrahma year and 100 such years completes his life time [100X365X8,640,000,000 human years]..Some say this yug refers to the period in deva lok. Our one human year is one full day for devas. Based on this one can work out one deva year and 4,320,000 deva years make one chatur yug and then calculate lord Brahma’s life time..

sahasra-yuga-paryantam
ahar yad brahmano viduh
ratrim yuga-sahasrantam
te ’ho-ratra-vido janah

“By human calculation, a thousand ages taken together form the duration of Brahma’s one day. And such also is the duration of his night.”

Aho = day, ratra = night, vidu = those who know, jana = people.. Brahmana = lord Brahma…Sahasra = thousand, yuga = time of one Chatur yuga, aha = is a day [for lord Brahma]. Yuga = chatur yugs, sahasrantam = thousands of, ratrim = is one night for lord Brahma…

Ramanuja’s Commentary Those who through the power of yoga or the individual consciousness attaining communion with the ultimate consciousness understand that Brahma’s’day lasts for 1000 Maha Yugas. Each of which is one cycle of the four yugas or ages combined which are Satya Yuga lasting 1,728,000 Earth years, Treta Yuga lasting 1,296,000 years, Dvarapa Yuga lasting 864,000 years and Kali Yuga lasting 432,000 years all together totalling 4,320,000 years. When multiplied by 1000 Brahma’s day equals 4 billion 320 million years. The same total applies also for Brahma’s night. So combined one day and one night of Brahma equals 8 billion 640 million years and this is known as a kalpa. One year of Brahma equals 360 of these kalpas totalling 26 trillion, 438 billion and 400 million. Brahma lives for 100 of these years.

..slokam 8-18..vijayavalli naatchiyaar sannithi..eranndu ayanangallukkum eranndu vaasalkall chakara baani kovilum..koorath aazlwaar sudarsana sathaham aruli erukiraar..samashti srushti avan panni brahmavai vyakti srushti panna vaikiraan..

avyaktad vyaktayah sarvah
prabhavanty ahar-agame
ratry-agame praliyante
tatraivavyakta-samjnake

“At the beginning of Brahma’s day, all living entities become manifest from the unmanifest state, and thereafter, when the night falls, they are merged into the unmanifest again.”

Avyaktad = from Brahma’s body [ earlier we saw this word denoted moola prakruti]. Here this sloka describes all those emerging from the body of Brahma. Brahma was the creation of the Lord. Vyaktya = explicit creations like bhoo, bhuva and suva worlds, sarva = and all the contents of these worlds. Prabhavanti = all these are created. Ahar-agame = during day time [of Brahma]. .Brahma controls seven worlds – bhoo, buva, suva, maha, jana, tapa and satya lokas. This is to be split into two groups and we are talking of the first three worlds bhoo, buva and suva. These three are administered by Indra. Brahma is the leader of all gods and Indra is a sub-leader assisting Brahma. Ratri-agame = in the night [of Brahma], praliyante = they get dissolved [ layam means an object attaining its natural status. Mud pot becoming layam means it becomes mud. Karyam or end product, attaining its karana or starting status]. That is, all these three worlds get back into the body of Brahma and lose their vyakta form. Tatraiva = in the same place, avyakta samjyate = which is called avyaktam, ie.in Brahma they get dissolved. This is called Naimishtika srushti and naimishtika pralayam..

..Ramanuja’s commentary..There is no commentary for this verse.

..slokam 8-19..chakrabani sevai..eught thiru kaikall..moontru thiru kannkall..Soorya, sage Ahirbudhnya and god Agni are on one side..brahma on the other..In the right four arms the Lord is holding the discus, a pestle , a goad and a lotus. In the left four arms are held conch, mace, noose and bow with arrow. The Lord’s discus has Five parts. Rim with whirling fire is one part. Inner circumference is called meni, is the second part. Third is spokes joining rim and center, aram. Four- center with one side dented is aksham and raised is called kumbham. Five- the Central Force of the Lord is called Purusha. Our mind also is constantly revolving like the discus…sudarsanam=sowmya darsanam..pleasing look..kodi sooriyarkallin prakasamum yeedu kodukka mudiyaathu..

bhuta–gramah sa evayam
bhutva bhutva praliyate
ratry–agame ’vasah partha
prabhavaty ahar–agame

“Again and again, when Brahma’s day arrives, all living entities come into being, and with the arrival of Brahma’s night they are helplessly annihilated because of karma.”

..Avasa = because all are bound by karma, they are born and die. Bhutha–grama = all living beings bound by karma, as an entity, avasa = bound by karma, bhutva = get created..Praliyate = gets dissolved [to reach the original status], ratry–agame = in the night time [ of Brahma..

Ramanuja’s Commentary

Those who understand the succession of Brahma’s day and night as established by the Supreme Lord Krishna applicable for all created beings from human up to the highest material being know that the duration of Brahma’s day is 4 billion 320 million years and an equal duration is his night. At the dawning of Brahma’s day all beings and things in the threefold regions of material existence along with their bodies and senses, objects of enjoyment and locations of enjoyment all in a subtle form issue out of an avyakta or unmanifest state emanting Brahma’s subtle body. When Brahma’s night draws nigh all that issued out are all once again reabsorbed into that avyakta state of his subtle body. The exact same groups and species of variegated beings adhere to the stringent law of karma or the reactions to previous actions are bound in the material existence and come and go. Appearing in Brahma’s day and vanishing in his night again and again perpetually.

One year of Brahma equals 26 trillion, 438 billion and 400 million years. When the duration of Brahma’s life which is 100 of such years ends. Then immeadiately all systems of all material worlds in existence, operating in tandem or at random up to Brahma’s own planet and even Brahma himself are ended and dissolve into the infinite. This dissolution has an order as confirmed in the Subala Upanisad beginning: Prithivy apsu praliyate, apas tejas liyante meaning Earth is devolved into water, water is devolved into fire. Fire is devolved into air etc. air is devolved into ether, ether is devolved into the cosmos, the cosmos devolves into avyakta the unmanifest, the unmanifest devolves into the aksara the imperishable, the imperishable devolves into tamas or darkness and the darkness merges finally back into the Supreme Being. Thus all things except the Supreme Lord are regulated and controlled by time. All things without exception owe their existence to the Supreme Lord Krishna, deriving their inception from Him and concluding their absorption in Him. In the material worlds there is absolutely no alternative to the cycle of birth and death. Thus at the end of life the forced relinquishing of material wealth and opulence for those who wasted there lives to obtain it is inevitable. But for those who instead used their precious human life to attain the Supreme Lord Krishna, having Him as there sole refuge and goal; for them rebirth is not even to be considered as they are automatically liberated from samsara the perpetual cycle of birth and death. Next will be shown that there is also no rebirth for those who have achieved atma tattva or realisation of the soul.

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Geethaa Saaram 8-10 to 8-14

May 26, 2008

..slokam 8-10..ramanin villai nambithaan seethai erunthaall..antha val vil raman sevai pullam bootham kudiyil..shobana vimanam..auspicious one..புள்ளுப் பிள்ளைக்கு இரை தேடும் புள்ளம் பூதம் குடி தானே..atharkku yetra eraiyai thedi tharum..athu pola namakku yetrathai tharuvaan..karma yogathai vidaamal panni erunthaal ethai peralaam..puruvangalin naduvil vaithu aiswaryaarthikall thyaanam pannanum..

prayana-kale manasacalena
bhaktya yukto yoga-balena caiva
bhruvor madhye pranam avesya samyak
sa tam param purusham upaiti divyam

“One who, at the time of death, fixes his life air between the eyebrows and, by the strength of yoga, with an undeviating mind, engages himself in remembering the Supreme Lord in full devotion, will certainly attain to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”

Prayana kale = in the [last] journey. ..Acalena manasa = unperturbed mind, that is not aspiring for inferior rewards. Yoga balena = with the strength of Bhakti, yukta = supported,bahktya = bhakti..Bhruvo = the two eye brows, madhye = between them in the middle, pranam = pranan, ..Sa = such a person, tam = should meditate on the Lord, param purushan = Suprema Lord, upaiti = attains, divyam = in a superior way.

Ramanuja’s Commentary Whosoever has there mind situated in equanimity, made steady and firm by daily practicing devotional mediation unto the Supreme Lord. At the time of death is able to direct the life force through the Sushanna channel and fix it at the ajna cakra betwwen the eyebrows and focuses upon the Supreme Lord Krishna intently without deviation or diversion by the power of their meditation they achieve communion with the Supreme Lord Himself and attain His association in the eternal spiritual worlds. The next verse will describe the mode of meditation most suitable for the aspirant of moksa or liberation from material bondage.

..slokam 8-11..upanishad yennum pasuvidam,arjunan yenkira kannu kuttikku geethai yennum paal tharuhiraan..He is the real kaamadenu.avanaiyey theruvaan kettaal..aadhanoor sthalam..kamadenu davameruntha edam..aandu allakkum iyan..kidantha thiru kolam..marakkaalum ezluthaaniyum vaithu erukiraan..sri devi boo devi kaamadenu vum thiruvadi aruhil..bruhu munivarum agnidevanum sevai saathikiraarkall..thirumangai aalwaarum garba grahathil sevai..udsavar is renga nathan..kaivalyaarthi uchanthalaiyil prananai vaithu dyaanam pannanum..kamadenu pola kettathai tharukiraan..iswaryamum, kaivalyamum..avanaiyumey kooda..

yad aksharam veda-vido vadanti
vishanti yad yatayo vita-ragah
yad icchanto brahmacaryam caranti
tat te padam sangrahena pravaksye

“Persons who are learned in the Vedas, who tell the indestructible nature, will be attained by cutting off desires. Desiring such perfection, one practices celibacy. I shall now briefly explain to you this process by which one may attain kaivalyam…

..Veda vido = those who have learned Vedas well, yad vadanthi = tell that, aksharam = indestructible..Vita raga = those who have cut off or removed [worldly] desires. Yata = with such efforts, yad vishanti = attain those [positions]… Icchanti = desiring [ to get kaivalyam], brahmacharyam = celibacy, charanti = practicing.Tat te padam = that high position to you, sangrahena = precisely, pravaksye = will be told [by Sri Krishna to Arjuna]…

Ramanuja’s Commentary

Now Lord Krishna explains the other padam or state which is for those aspirants who wish for atma-tattva or realisation of the soul and the secure and permanent destination of moksa or liberation from material existence. This state is aksaram or imperishable. In the Brihadaranya Upanisad V.VIII.VIII beginning sahovacha-itad vai tad explains that this state is not material. It is that which the ascetics of the worlds attempt to gain access to. It is that ardent longing for which men strictly follow the vow of brahmacaryam or voluntary celibacy. Padam is that which one mentally proceeds to achieve the goal of their endeavours. Padyate is non- different from gamyate meaning that which is followed being the method adopted by the mind. The purport is that Lord Krishna is giving a brief description of the methodology by which an aspirant for atma-tattva and moksa must meditate on Him to achieve the ultimate goal they have envisioned. Meditation upon Lord Krishna in His aspect of aksaram or imperishable is described in the Brihadaranya Upanisad V.VIII.VIII-XI.

..slokam 8-12..aadhanoorum kaaveri kollidam naduvil..soorya pushkaranni..prannava vimaanam..bargavi or kamala vasinihead of cow and body of woman..kamadenu.indran thozluthu meendathai petraan..periya thirumadal oru paasuram mangalaasaasanam..

sarva-dvarani samyamya
mano hridi nirudhya ca
murdhny adhayatmanah pranam
asthito yoga-dharanam

“The yogic situation is that of detachment from all sensual engagements. Closing all the doors of the senses and fixing the mind on the heart and the life air at the top of the head, one establishes himself in yoga.”

..Sarva = all, dvaram = holes, samyamya = plugged, mano = mind, hridi = [ the Lord ] in the heart, nirudhya = well established or focussed..Atmana = one’s own [self], pranam = prana [life air], murdhanyadhaya = via the principal nerve called sushumna nadi ..Yoga dharanam = [in Bhakti yoga] remembering the Lord, asthitho = one should remain..

Ramanuja’s Commentary

Lord Krishna uses the words sarva-dvarani samyamya means controlling the passages which enter into the body. This denotes withdrawing the senses from external cognition or restricting the senses from their normal outgoing tendencies. The words hrdi-nirudhya means locking the mind in the heart. It denotes directing devotional feelings from the mind to the atma or soul in the heart and offering them to the aksaram or imperishable Supreme Lord enthroned there. The words yoga-dharanam or performing the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the ultimate consciousness in unwavering meditation. This denotes concerted concentration in perfectly meditating upon the Supreme Lord with complete attention.

.slokam 8-13..pranavakara vimanathin nizlalil erunthu geethai entru..om expand aahi vedam..kannum kaathum om yenbathai anubavikka petrom..ahaaram,uhaaram mahaaram moontraiyum therinthu naam avanin adimai avanukku yentru erukkanum yenbathai therinthu kollanum..

om ity ekaksharam brahma
vyaharan mam anusmaran
yah prayati tyajan deham
sa yati paramam gatim

“By continuous meditating on Me in the single syllable Om, he who is on his journey leaving body, reaches supreme position”
..Brahma = Brahmam, om = pranavam, ity ek akshara = single syllable, vyaharan = chanting..Om indicates Brahmam, that is the Lord Sriman Narayana. Since Om denotes Him, it is called vasakam. Mam = Me [ Sri Krishna, denoted by the syllable Om], anusmaran = meditating..Ya prayati = he, who starts the journey [ just before casting off this body in the death bed], deham = body, tyajan = casting off, sa yati = he attains, paramam = supreme, gatim = path or position..

Ramanuja’s Commentary

Systematically vibrating the singular syllable OM vibrated as A-U-M. It is the personal sign, symbol and sound of the aksaram or imperishable. OM is the indicator and Lord Krishna is the indicated Who is to be to be profoundly and humbly meditated upon. Whomsoever departs from this life at the moment of death fixing the prana or life force in the crown of their head in the manner so indicated goes to the exalted, eternal spiritual worlds. The words paramam gatim mean the supreme destination from where there is no return granting moksa or liberation and includes atma tattva or realisation of the soul which is in essence comparable to the Supreme Lord and contra distinguished from matter and everything material. More evidence of this will be given later in this chapter in verses 20 and 21. So the method of meditation for those who are atharthi or seekers of fortune and for those who are jijnansur or those aspiring realisation of the soul has been duly given being similar. Next the method of divine meditation suited for the jnani or the aspirant for the Supreme Lord and the nature of their goal will be revealed.

..slokam 8-14..mandangudi.aadanoor,pullam bootham gudi, kumbakonum pakkam..thondar adi podi avathara sthalam.vanamalai amsam..திருமாலை அறியாதார் திருமாலை அறியாதார்..adutha moontru slokathaal bagavathlabarthi patri sollukiraan..evarkallukku mattum easyyaha thannaiyey tharuhiraan..munnam vanthu vaari paruhi kollukiraan..

ananya-cetah satatam
yo mam smarati nityasah
tasyaham sulabhah partha
nitya-yuktasya yoginah

“For one who always remembers Me without deviation, I am easy to obtain, O son of Pritha, because of his constant engagement in devotional service.”

Partha =Arjuna, ananya ceta =mind not involved in other matters. . Yo = such a person, mam = Me [Sri Krishna], smarathi = thinks.Nityasah = from the time one starts devotion, satatam = without interruption even for a second..Tasya =for such a devotee, aham = I [Sri Krishna] am, sulabha = easily [ available], nitya yuktasya = wants to be associated always, yogina = are such yogis..

Ramanuja’s Commentary The word nityasah or always means always since the aspirant consciously devoted themselves to Lord Krishna as the exclusive goal. The word satanam or continuously means at all times. The word smarati or remembering implies that the Supreme Lord has become the sole object of intense love and devotion so much so that the instant one is bereft from thought of Him, one’s very life feels it is in jeopardy. So one incessantly meditates upon Him. The words nitya-yuktasya yoginah is the enlightened one who yearns for eternal relationship with Lord Krishna. This is the jnani or knower and lover of god to whom the Supreme Lord is very easily accessible. What the jnani seeks for his goal is the Supreme Lord only and nothing else. This means that it is not the elevated state of consciousness of the Supreme Lord that the jijnansur seek or the state of unlimited fortune like the Supreme Lord that the arthathis or seekers of fortune desire. The goal of the jnani is to obtain eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord Krishna or any of His authorized avatars or incarnations and expansions as revealed specifically in the Vedic scriptures.

The Supreme Lord is sulabhah or easy to achieve. This means Lord Krishna is happily available and accessible to all those who are devoted to Him in love and further more He, Himself is unable to bear any separation from His devotees at any time. Therefore it is He who chooses to be associated with them and this is the confidential tattva or truth. By so doing the Supreme Lord Himself quickly carries to perfection by inspiration and intuition the very method that His votary is performing for attaining Him. The Supreme Lord Himself removes all obstacles which may hamper His chosen votary from swiftly progressing to Him simultaneously while generating an increase in His devotees love for Him to propel Him onwards. The Katha Upanisad II.XXIII beginning yam evaisha vrinute tena labhya states: The Supreme Lord is attainable by him alone whom He, Himself elects. This will be explained further in chapter X, verses X and XI but now the remaining verses in this chapter will be focused on showing that there is no return to samsara or the perpetual cycle of birth and death for the jnani who is the knower and lover of the Supreme Lord nor is there any return for the jijnansur who has achieved atma tattva or soul realisation; but there is a return to samsara for the arthathi or seeker of wealth for they have not qualified for moksa or liberation from material existence.

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