SRI VARALAKSHMI GODDESS OF WEALTH

                                                   

There is none in the world who does not aspire for wealth and riches in one form or other. Sage Vasishta says to Rama  “dhana marjaya kakuthsa dhanamoola midam jagat  antaram nabhijanami nirdhanascha mrutasyacha”—Earn money ; Money is the root cause of this world; There is no difference between the  man without money and a dead person! The bestower of wealth is Goddess Mahalakshmi.  By worshipping her and deriving Her Grace even a pauper can become a  crorepathi. Bereft of Her Grace a rich person becomes a pauper! Our great sages have composed a number of sthothras eulogizing the Goddess. Sri Lakshmi Ashtottharam and Sri Lakshmi Sahasra namam are some of the famous stothras. Such compositions can be recited with devotion by the common man to acquire her Grace. It was Sri Adi Sankara who brought a rain of golden goose berries ( Nellikkai)into the home of the poor woman who had nothing to offer him except that small fruit! Sankara chanted the famous “ Kanaka Dhara Stavam” when the Goddess rained golden gooseberries in torrents!! I give below the meaning of a few important slokas onGoddess Sri Mahalakshmi describing her attributes in praise.

     “ Vande padmakaramprasannavadanam-----I offer my pranams to sri Mahalakshmi with lotus in her hand and benign face, the bestower  of prosperity and riches, one who grants abhaya—fearlessnss with her hands; She is adorned with various kinds of precious stones and ornaments , one who grants boons as per the desires of her devotees; She is attended by the Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheswara! She has beside her the fabulous treasures of ‘sankha and padma’

       “ Oh  Devi! With lotus eyes and hands, in spotless white, in fragrant garlands, O Bhagavathi, the consort of Lord Vishnu, dear to my  heart  bestower of prosperity to all the three worlds, shower thy benign Grace on me! ( Sri  Lakshmi Ashtottharam)

        “ I offer my pranams toSri MahaLakshmi, the very form of Maya or illusion, the one established on Sri Peetam  and worshipped  by the Devas and wielding the conch. disc and the mace in her hands! (Sri Maha Lakshmi Ashtakam)”

        According to Purana, Sage SUKA narrates to Sounaka  and other sages a great vratha that brings prosperity and wel lbeing to all women in society. Lord Siva narrates it to Devi Parvathi in answer to her question. A very chaste, pious and devoted woman CHARUMATI by name resided in a place called Kundina. She was so religious,devoted  and good mannered that Goddess Lakshmi liked her very much and wanted to shower her Grace! One night, the Goddess appeared in Charumati’s  dream  and praised by her, directed her to perform S

        “ Lakshmim kshira samudra raja tanayam Sri Ranga Dhameswarim---“Oh Goddess Lakshmi Devi! you are the darling daughter of the King of the sea of milk! You are the beautiful spouse of Lord Ranganatha! All heavenly damsels are your servants! You are the light of all worlds! Your gentle captivating smile has restored the lost prosperity and grandeur of the creator Brahma, Indra, King of heaven and Lord Siva who holds river Ganga on his matted hair! You are head of all the three worlds! You are born out of the lotus flower! You are the sweetheart of  Mukunda—Lord Vishnu!

ri Varalakshmi Vratam  on the second Friday of the month of Sravana! Charumathi was pleasantly  surprised  She informed her kith and kin and performed the Vratam on that Friday as per the instructions of the Goddess. Soon after the Vratam, even as Charumati and others were prostrating,  they were all bedecked with gold and diamond ornaments to the utter amazement of the onlookers! Charumati’s house suddenly became almost a palace with all its luxuries! They believed that it was all because of the Grace of Sri Varalakshmi! Thus this Vratam became popular and is being performed even today in Andhra, Karnataka other states.

UPAKARMA ITS SIGNIFICANCE

 

It is the practice to start learning the Vedas on the full moon day of the month of Sravana and complete it by the full moon day of the month of “Thai” (Tamil). Students of the Vedas have to recapitulate what they have already learnt in their adhyayana. They have to read the Vedas.
For not having done this they have to perform “Kamokarsheeth Japa”. After Maha sankalpa, they should take a bath and wear a new sacred thread. Brahmacharis should wear “mounji”, a small bit of deer skin and “danda” (staff). Then they should perform “Kandarshi Tarpanam” and finally “homam”.
While wearing the sacred thread, the brahmachari prays for the grant of bhakthi, karma, and jnana yogas. While repeating the “Yagnopaveeta” mantra, he says:
“I wear this sacred thread which purifies me the best that manifested itself even when Lord Brahma came in to existence, that which offers longevity and first place and that which is pure white in colour. The radiance of Jnana and strength should remain stable through this sacred thread”.
He removes the old sacred thread by saying “I remove this old, torn, weak, and dust laden sacred thread   O Parabrahman!  Shower your grace on me so that I shall retain the effulgence of jnana and longevity”.
Greetings on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan. Brothers And sisters exchange rakees on that occasion

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BRAHMAVALLI FIFTH ANUVAKA

                                                                     BRAHMAVALLI

                                                                    FIFTH ANUVAKA

                                                 

Vignanamaya kosa  The  form of Upasana

                 Mantra: yato vacho nivarthante aprapya manasa saha anandam brahmano vidwan----

A person who performs upasana of that Brahman, from whom even speech and manas retract without comprehending it-the Blissful form, is totally rid of fear from all things in the world. Pranamayatma has manomayatma that is born of pranamaya sareera. Different from this manomayatma and deep inside it is Vignanamayatma.

         In the previous anuvaka manomaya is described as ‘ vedatma’. When the intellect derived from the Vedas becomes definite, it is called ‘Vignana’. This vignana is the very nature of ‘ antahkarana’ so Vignanamayatma is defined as that decided by the definite intellect.

           Karmas like yagnas are performed in the world only with the authority of vignana. Faith or sraddha that arises first and foremost in doing karmas is as prominent as the head of the body. So it is termed as ‘siras’ or head. Rita is dakshina paksha. Satyam is uttara paksha. Yoga means atma in Samadhi.

            The organs of the body help a person to carry out his activities. In the same fashion, for one in Samadhi sraddha or faith and satyam or Truth are helpful and of paramount importance in attaining the Brahman.  Of the three main contributors to the attainment of Brahman viz sraddha, rita, and satya etc Samadhi is the most important thing like the middle part of the body. In short, Vignanamaya atma is yoga comparable to the middle portion of the body.

             Mahat tathwa means ‘Hiranyagarbha’ This is the first born. According to Sruthi pramana “mahadhyaksham prathamajam veda” ( Brihad: 5.4.1.)

              There is a cause for every action; that fixes it. For all the creepers and trees earth acts as the fixer ( prathishta) The cause for all vignana and intellect is Mahat Tathwa. Hence it is the fixing material for vignanamaya atma The  following mantras describe vignanamaya atma in the same way as annamayakosa mantras have been described.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         OM OM THAT SATH

BRAHMAVALLI FOURTH ANUVAKA

                                                                       BRAHMAVALLI.

                                                                    FOURTH ANUVAKA

                                                   

Pranamaya Sloka  Manomaya Kosa  Upasana

                                        Mantra:  Pranam deva anupranantimanushyahapasavaschaye…..

Meaning:   Agni and other devas,in the form of vayu act according to the prana sakthi. As prana is active they are also active. The word’deva’also means organs of the body. So, all the organs of the body stir according to the principal prana. In the same manner man and animals and other living beings are activated through the movement of prana. So, all living beings are not filled with the annamaya atma only. On the other hand they are all suffused and endowed with pranamaya atma  which is spread in all the bodies of men. In this manner all beings are enclosed with manomaya and anadamayakosas.

All beings possess the universal  atma (soul) that is natural, that which is the cause of akasa and others, that which is eternal, unchanged, omnipresent, and that which is ’Satyam,  Jnanam and Anantam.’

Prana is the bedrock of life. As it is life for all, it is called ‘sarvayush.’ The atma of annamaya  is pranamaya  atma that is born out of annamaya sareera.

Innate and deep inside pranamaya  atma is manomaya  atma. Manas has the qualities of sankalpa and vikalpa  and is called ’antahkarana’ (inner organ). Yajus is the head of manomayaatma. Ruk is the Dakshinapaksha .Sama is uttarapaksha. Vidhi  or mandate is atma. The mantras discovered by the great sage  Adharvangiro is the puchcha (lower part) that fixes.

Yajus—a mantra  with no fixed number of letters in a foot.  Siras and dakshinapaksha  are created by Sruthi.                                                                                                                                         

The Five Kosas:  (1) annamaya  (2 pranamaya (3)manomaya (4)vignanamaya (5)and anandamaya.

Annamayakosa has 2, 3, 4, and 5 kosas within it. Pranamayakosa has 3,4, and 5 kosas within it.

Manomayakosa has 4 and 5 kosas  within it. Vignanamayakosa  has the only one anandamayakosa within it.

                                                         BRAHMAVALLI

                                                       THIRD ANUVAKA

                                           Annamaya Kosa---An Explanation

Mantra:   Anna dwai prajaha prajayante yakaschapruthuvigum srithaha……

Meaning:   The whole animate and inanimate, mobile and immobile creatures depending on the earth are all born from and fed by the ‘rasa’ quality of Annam (food).They thrive and live by Annam. After their growth and existence they again merge and lose themselves into the same Annam.

Annam preceded the birth of living beings. So it is the cause of all the beings filled with Annam. Therefore all people are born of Annam. They merge and disappear into Annam. Annam is the medicine for all the beings on earth. In other words, it is Annam that satisfies the hunger (jataragni) and quenches the thirst of living beings. Those who perform upasana on Anna Brahma are able to realize everything. All creatures are born out of Annam. Those that are born grow and thrive because of Annam. Annam is consumed by all creatures. All creatures eat Annam. Because of this it is called Annam.

There is an inward atma which is entirely different from the body formed by the effect of anna rasa.This is full of prana. This becomes full or complete with ‘pranamaya  atma.’ In short  because of this the anna rasamaya atma swells like a bag and is full. This pranamaya atma has the form of purasha or man as it has parts like the head,sides, middle, and the lower parts.

But pranamaya atma, by itself, does not have parts like the head and others as in the case of annamaya atma. According to the form of annamaya  atma, pranamaya  atma lies as the idol in the die. He has no shape of his own. In other words annamaya atma reaches fullness through pranamayakosa; this attains fullness through manomayakosa; this again obtains fullness through vignanamayakosa and this gains fullness through anandamayakosa.

                How Pranamaya Atma becomes Purusha:

(1)    The breath that  comes out of the face and the two nostrils is considered as the ‘head’

(2)The movement of vyana vayu----dakshinapaksha

(3)The movement of apana vayu (renal part)  uttarapaksha

(4)The movement of  samana vayu  in the centre better than the other movements—Akasa.

Earth holds this pranamaya atma –the body to itself. If it were not so the body may go up in air due to the movement of udana  vayu or collapse because of heavy weight.So Earth fixes the body or the pranamaya atma to itself and is called ‘puchcha’.

Pranamayakosa has no form of Purusha,no head or other parts but for the sake of upasana these partshave been created by the Sruthi.                                       

                                                                        OM THATH SATH.