Brahmotsavam Day 2: Sri Chinna Sesha & Hamsa Vahanams

Sri Malayappa Swami adorned as Sri Mohana Krishna on the Chinna Sesha Vahanam

On the second day, Lord Malayappa Swami comes in procession on the Chinna Sesha Vahanam (small serpent vehicle). The Lord is seated alone (on the Pedda Sesha Vahanam, the Lord gives darshan with His consorts), and is offered many articles of worship by the brahmanas who surround Him…

Sri Malayappa Swami dressed as Saraswathi, on the Hamsa Vahana

The Hamsa or swan is a vedic symbol of the realized soul. Swans are believed to be untouched by impurity… they float on clear waters, are white in color, and are even thought to be able to drink only milk, even if the milk is adulterated with water. So Sri Malayappa Swami appears as muni maanasa rajahamsa or the swan floating in the minds of His saintly devotees. The Hamsa vahana shows that the Lord has all of these mystical qualities attributed in vedic lore to swans, as He Himself is the source of such opulences.

ஓம் நமோ நாராயணாய!

Brahmotsavam Day 1: Dwaja Arohanam & Sri Pedda Sesha Vahanam

Garuda Dwaja in procession prior to hoisting at Sri Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam

Today is the auspicious beginning of the Brahmotsavam in Tirupati. This festival was originally celebrated by Lord Brahma, in honor of the appearance of Sri Venkateshwara, the Lord the Seven Sacred Hills at Tirumala. Sri Venkateshwara’s appearance is mentioned in puranic lore, and many consider the Lord at this place to be the deity Who vanquishes the effects of Kali yuga…

The first day of the nine day festival is when the hoisting of the Garuda dwaja (flag) is done at the Dwaja stambha (flag pole) facing the main sanctum of Lord Venkateshwara. The flag is installed, worshipped, and then processed around the sanctum. Garuda is worshipped on the dwaja stambha, and then the flag is hoisted amidst chants from the vedas, in the presence of Sri Malayappa Swami, His consorts, and His associates – Sri Ananta Sesha, Sri Vishvaksena, Sri Garuda- as well as the assembled devotees and priests…

Sri Ananta Sesha & Sri Garuda attending the flag hoisting ceremony

Following the flag hoisting, Sri Malayappa Swami gives darshan on the Pedda Sesha Vahanam (large sepent vehicle). The Lord appears as Sri Vaikuntapathi- the Lord of Vaikunta, with His bliss-filled consorts Sri & Bhu devis by His side.

Sri Malayappa Swami with consorts on the Pedda Sesha Vahanam

Stay tuned for more beautiful pictures and descriptions of the various alankaras of Lord Venkateshwara as His appearance is celebrated in Tirumala…

ஓம் நமோ நாராயணாய!

Sri Tirupati Brahmotsavam commences…

Sri Malayappa Swami, the utsava deity for Lord Venkateshwara in Tirupati will enjoy various vahanas (vehicles), and alankaras (decorations) for the pleasure of the devotees, during the nine days of the world-famous Brahmotsavam festivities in Tirumala. I hope to post pictures of Sri Malayappa Swami, as He appears on each of these nine auspicious days beginning on October 1st, and ending on October 9th. Stay tuned!

The ornament of His ears…

Wearing a peacock-feather ornament upon His head, blue karnikara flowers on His ears, a yellow garment as brilliant as gold, and the Vaijayanti garland, Lord Krishna exhibited His transcendental form as the greatest of dancers as He entered the forest of Vrindavana, beautifying it with the marks of His footprints. He filled the holes of His flute with the nectar of His lips, and the cowherd boys sang His glories. – SB 10.21.5

The Karnikara Flower (Clitoria ternatea)

The Karnikara flower, also commonly known as: butterfly pea • aparajita • Hindi: अपराजिता aparajita, गोकर्णी gokarni, khagtu • Kannada: girikarniballi, kantisoppu • Konkani: गोकर्ण gokarna, शंख पुष्प shankha pushpa • Malayalam: aral, sangu pushpam, sankhankuppi • Manipuri: aparajita • Marathi: गोकर्ण gokarna, shankha pushpa • Sanskrit: अपराजित aparajita, गिरिकर्णिका girikarnika • Tamil: காக்கணம் kakkanam, காக்கட்டான் kakkattan, சங்கு கன்னிக்கொடி kannikkodi, karkokartun, கரிசன்னி kricnni, கருவிளை kruvilai, உயவை uyvai •

Info & photos courtesy: http://flickr.com/photos/dinesh_valke/

Oracle of Rama

Ever tried tarot cards? I have to admit they are intriguing, especially if I’m mentally jumbled. I recently found a Krsna conscious version of tarot cards. It’s called the “Oracle of Rama” which is available through Amazon.com, done by Dr. David Frawley. The oracle consists of a divination deck with verses from Tulsidas’ Rama Charit Maanas (a vernacular version of the Ramayana, which became extremely popular, because of the approachability of the language, as well as it’s poetic metaphors). on each card.

One then selects a guide who include Rama, Sita, Bharata, Shatrugna, Hanuman, and Rama’s Holy Name. The guide one selects can be selected anew at each consultation, or one can decide whom one desires to follow, or feels a closest connection with, and have each oracle reading with one’s selected guide.

After clearing one’s mind, offering prayers to Lord Rama, one formulates a question, and then selects a card. Each card refers to one section in a chapter of Tulsidas’ work. Each card has predictions based on the seven verses in the section selected. One then refers to the booklet to read the actual section of the Rama Charit Maanas, to see how the particular part of the Ramayana refers to one’s personal question or circumstances. I’ve found it immensely helpful. Above all, the cards all ask one to have faith in Rama, His Holy Name, and to follow in the footsteps of His faithful followers- all good things!

Sri Rama, with Sri Lakshmana, and Goddess Sita at Bhadrachalam

My most recent reading told me the following image, and reading…

Rama wins Sita for His wife by breaking Lord Shiva’s bow. This is the summit of happiness in the story that Saint Tulsidas wishes to emphasize. Therefore this section is supremely auspicious.

The last verse of the fourth chapter brings good fortune to every home. Every day brings prosperity and a happy destiny when Dasaratha’s Prince Rama lives in our hearts.

The summit of happiness is gained. It can only be sustained by holding the Divine Presence in our hearts. Then we go beyond karma or fate that always leads to reversals or difficulties. The fourth chapter is filled with good indications. The last verse contains the culmination of all of these.

Now you only have to guess the question I posed to Lord Rama for this reading!

Kalanemi’s defeat

So everyone has heard of Kalanemi’s dreaded name. He appears several times as a particularly pernicious demon, filled with envy and hatred for Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kalanemi is mentioned in the 8th canto of the Srimad Bhagavatham as follows:

“O King, when the demon Kalanemi, who was carried by a lion, saw that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, carried by Garuda, was on the battlefield, the demon immediately took his trident, whirled it and discharged it at Garuda’s head. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, the master of the three worlds, immediately caught the trident, and with the very same weapon he killed the enemy Kalanemi, along with his carrier, the lion.” SB 8.10.56

Everytime Kalanemi appears, he is vanquished by Lord Krsna. He was the uncle of Ravana, the dreadful king of Lanka. He was also the son of Hiranyakashipu, who cursed him to kill his own children. The curse came true when Kalanemi took birth as Kamsa, the horrible king of Bhoja, who killed the children of his gentle sister Devaki. Unwittingly, each child he cruelly murdered was his own son from his previous birth… Karma is a mess isn’t it?!

As Ravana’s uncle, Kalanemi was promised half of his nephew’s kingdom in return for deceiving Hanuman from his mission to procure the life-giving Sanjivani herb, in order to rescue the fallen Lakshmana. Ravana felt that if Lakshmana perished, Rama would lose His will to continue battle…

Deities of Sri Rama, Lakshmana, and Sri Sita Devi at Thiruppullani, Rameshwaram

Kalanemi disguised himself as a mystic sage, and took residence on the Gandhamadhana mountain, in the Himalayas. As Hanuman searched for the magical life-giving Sanjivani, he came across the pious looking Kalanemi in disguise…

The Sanjivani herb (Selaginella bryopteris) is a lythophytic plant with medicinal properties

The demon offered Hanuman food, which he refused. Instead Hanuman bathed in a nearby lake, where his foot was seized by a crocodile. Hanuman swiftly killed the crocodile, from whose body emerged a celestial damsel. The damsel told Hanuman how she was an apsara, and had been cursed to become a crocodile because of having offended King Daksha. Being grateful for Hanuman’s mercy on her, she warned him of Kalanemi’s deceitful plot…

Hanuman returned to the hermitage where Kalanemi persisted in his disguise. Hanuman declared that he knew of his wicked tricks, and seizing him by the legs, whirled him around, and threw him in the air…and he landed far far away… at the foot of Ravana’s throne, all the way in Lanka!

Hanuman, being unable to find the exact herb, and not wanting to take a chance with bringing the wrong herb, grabbed the entire mountain of Dronagiri, and returned to Lanka to rescue Lakshmana. Incidentally, Dronagiri is the father of Sri Govardhan which brings pleasure to Sri Sri Radha Krsna, and all of Their loving devotees…

All glories to Sri Hanuman, the chastizer of the wicked Kalanemi!

Popes, Peace & Prarabdha Karma…

Now what ever could Pope Paul VI have to with Krsna you might ask? I happened to read a bumper sticker on the back of an SUV during my daily commute this morning… and it said:

“If you want peace, work for justice.” – Pope Paul VI

This quote struck me as odd… and it wasn’t the first time I had read it…on a bumper sticker! I felt it strange that peace and justice would be verbally intertwined in a quote so as to imply some measure of causality to their relationship… Does justice bring about peace? In any measure?

Justice is served – Chanura and Mushtika meet their swift demise at the lotus hands of Lords Krsna & Balarama

Peace… shanti…tranquility. In comparison, the word justice smells less of dharma, and more of revenge. Does this peace pervade the world, or just the minds of those incensed by injustice? Injustices perpetrated on them? To others? Where does it end? It’s sad that something this vague, yet catchy enough to ensure it’s repetition (yeah, look at me going off here!) would be plastered on the backs of cars… Road rage is indeed inevitable.

Durgadevi at Her finest… poking and prodding the jivas into submission

I’ve always felt that between Karma and Krsna, justice was served. Rather, Karma (Krsna’s law governing this material creation) straightens out even the worst of us reprobates. Yes, Krsna’s in charge, and He doesn’t bat an eyelid. Durgadevi does run a mean dungeon indeed… So why worry about justice? Peace is what we should strive for, and for ourselves, independently, not at anyone else’s expense… This justice is something that we have to serve, to ourselves. We have done many wrongs over countless lifetimes, so how can we judge others when we ourselves are entirely worthy of condemnation? Everyone on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, upon their death, assumed their original forms in the spiritual world… all because they saw Lord Krsna face to face. Even though many fought against Krsna, condemning and criticizing Him while hurtling weapons at His transcendental form, the Supreme Lord bestowed the highest perfection upon all of them- friend or foe… yes Arjuna and Duryodhana! So who could be more just, and more merciful that the Supreme Lord Himself?

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu “up in arms” against the Kazi with His only weapon – The Holy Name of Krsna

Bhakti, unlike Karma and Jnana margas, removes prarabdha karmas from the moment one treads it’s sacred path… One immediately becomes qualified to engage in vedic sacrifices regardless of one’s ashram or varna. Chanting Krsna’s Holy Name exalts every jiva…So raise your hands and chant “Hare Krsna” just as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu did. What else is a Kali Yuga resident to do?

(My gratitude to Swami B.V. Tripurari whose lecture inspired this post)

Since Krsna = God…

I found this poem on a small plaque at the clinic I work at. I thought it was touching… in a Hallmark greeting card kind of way. So I substituted “Krsna” for “God”… and you can see the results for yourself! It reminds me of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s mood… some echo verses of the Sikshashtakam prayers, and others of the ecstatic symptoms that Mahaprabhu experienced in Puri Dham towards the end of His manifest pastimes…

My Love

Love is a gift that comes from above.

Love is of Krsna and Krsna is love.

Which means that a little of Krsna is part,

of every single human heart.

And with this gift of love is dealt.

the very essense of life itself.

Oh love, what heavenly grace impart

that hastens my breath, quickens my heart.

What sensation do you entreat,

that sends me dancing on nimble feat.

That light-hearted feel that flutters within

then with a tingle bursts to the skin.

That brings forth tears of happiness

entwined with peace and contentedness.

That cleanses my soul and washes away

the cares and troubles of every day.

To sense your nearness, feel your embrace…

to close my eyes and see your face.

My Love, I want the world to know,

Oh Krsna, oh Krsna, I love you so.

Sri Ranganatha Stothram

Sri Parasara Bhattar

Sri Parasara Bhattar was the son of Koorathazhvar and was the chief priest of the great Sri Rangam temple. This great stotra is said to have been composed when Bhattar had to leave the city of Srirangam. He had angered the Chola king, and retreated to stay at Thirukkoshtiyur. The great love he had for Sri Ranganatha, the Lord of Srirangam, and the anguish he experienced because he of his forced departure from the the Lord are reflected in the verses of this prayer he composed to the Lord of Srirangam..

I salute that Lord of Ranga,
Who sleeps in the yogic pose,
On the bed of Adisesha,
Below the tall vimana,
Which resembles a lotus bud,
And is surrounded by seven ramparts,
And which is in between two Kaveri rivers,
With his right hand near his crown,
And his lotus like merciful left hand,
Pointing towards his feet which take care of us all.

When will I be able to see and salute that Lord Ranganatha,
Wearing long pundarika* of musk, having mischievous eyes extending to the ears,
Wearing a pretty smile, having beautiful lips, wearing gem studded crown,
And having a lotus like face which bewitches all those who see him?
* Holy mark on the forehead

When will I be able to spend my days in the city of Ranga,
On the shores of Kaveri meditating on my Lord,
Who is sleeping on the king of serpents,
And who has a very pretty form of the colour of Indra’s sapphire,
And muttering his names, Oh slayer of Madhu,
Oh Narayana, Oh Hari and Oh Govinda

When will I able to take bath in the clear waters of Kaveri?
When will I able to live in the dense gardens which are there,
In the shores of that river which are panacea for tiredness?
And when I will be able to sit on the sands in the shore of Kaveri,
Which leads to all that is good and chant the names like,
Oh Lord of Ranga, Oh Lotus eyed one, Oh Lord who sleeps on sesha.

When I will be able to see again that holy and pretty city of Srirangam,
Which has waters which are as deep as half the arecanut tree,
Which has happy, perplexed birds who chatter the words of Vedas,
And which has wayfarers requesting for salvation everywhere?

I do not want to drink the nectar and sleep,
On the pretty gardens of even the abode of devas,
But would prefer to be a dog in the street,
Which serve your city, Oh Lord of Ranga.

You get done worships to pacify the ills,
Of your temple being touched by a lowly dog,
Which is a charge, which is patently false,
And Oh Lord of Ranga, what are you going to do,
When I, a much lowlier being, enter your temple.

The saint Ramanuja gets pleased due to his devotion to,
Sri Ranga, Vishnu Kanchi, Tirupathi, Tharkshyagiri,
Simhachala, Sri Koorma, Jagannatha, Bhadrinath, Naimisarnya,
Dwaraka, Prayaga, Mathura, Ayodhya, Gaya, Pushkara,
And mountain Salagrama which are all divine temples!

Excerpted and adapted from: http://www.celextel.org/stotrasvishnu/ranganathastotram.html

Of Hearts and Hindus…

I recently purchased a copy of Stephen Knapp’s book “The Heart of Hinduism: The Eastern Path to Freedom, Empowerment, and Illumination.”

The book is an easy read, and covers a vast range of topics. It gives an overview of the Vedic scriptures, their classification into Brahmanas, Aranyakas, Samhitas, and Upanishads (with their sub-divisions). Having set the stage of the Vedic scriptures, Knapp delves into the common issues raised around any discussion of Hinduism (“Are there really 33 million gods?”), and describes briefly the individual personalities of the most famous demi-gods. Rituals, deity-worship, mantra-worship, yoga systems, and the recommended process for this age are all lucidly discussed, with an air of an informative discussion, rather than the author pontificating to the reader based on his personal beliefs.

Lord Krsna present in the 12 cantos of the Srimad Bhagavatham

The core of the book is Krsna… His position as the Supreme Personality of Godhead is undisputed scripturally, and Knapp makes a convincing case for this, especially to those unfamilar with the Vedic conclusion… Lord Krsna’s position both in sashtra and tradition are emphasized in a very logical way… Krsna give Hinduism some semblance of order, hierarchy, and meaning. Without acknowledging this, Hinduism would seem merely like the religion of the 33 million gods, where everyone can get what they want, and no one is wrong (now we all know both of those are never possible!).

I highly recommend Knapp’s book to devotees who would like an overview of the various aspects of Hinduism (many may be unfamiliar with it in the level of detail Knapp imparts in this book). The book is also an excellent read for Hindus, as well as non-devotees who are unfamiliar with the Vedic tradition entirely.

I hope Knapp (Nandanandana das ACBSP) continues to write such valuable books. His website is another informative resource, available 24/7 on the wonder called the internet… It contains lists of his books, with excerpts, as well as a variety of interesting articles, deity pictures, and many sanskrit prayers for daily recitation – an excellent resource!