BHRUGUVALLI SEVENTH ANUVAKA

                                            Anna Brahmopasana  VrataNiyamaha

                                              (The Rules of Anna Brahmopasana)

Mantra:  Annam nanindyaath thadvratham praanovaannam sareeramannaadam…….

Meaning:  As Brahmagnana has materialized through the gateway of Anna Brahmopasana, it should be considered as a preceptor. It should never be abused. To remain as such should be a religious regimen for a person who has realized the Brahman. This is to praise the role of annam as it is the first means of attaining Brahmavignana..

AS Prana is within the body it is called annam,  any material embedded within any other material is generally called annam. As prana  is  fixed in the body it is called annam. The body, hence is called ’annaada’  In  the same way the body is anna  and  praana ia ‘ annada’.  It is, because, the body is fixed in prana. In other words , the condition of the body is for the sake of the body,

Both the body and prana became anna and annaada as one is fixed in the other and the one fixes the other. One who realizes this and performs upasana  shall be blessed with plenty of food ,becomes annaada, have sons and grand children, herds of cattle, control over his internal and external organs, radiance of the Brahman, and be renowned in the world.

The food we take is contained in the body. In the same way ,prana is in the middle of the body and is called annam. As the body wears the centrally stationed prana in the form of anna, it is called annaada.

Like a pillar in the middle, bearing the burden of the house, prana in the centre supports the body. So the body is fixed in prana.

Sruthi  “:ahamevaithathpanchathadaathmanampravibhajyaithadhbanamavashtabhyavidharayami”.(Prasnopanishad)2.3.

The body and prana are interdependent. The instruction is that annam should never be abused.

BHRUGUVALLI TENTH ANUVAKA

                                      

                                                                   VrathaViseshaha

                                  (specialities of  Vratha)

   NA kanchana vasathau prathyaa chakshi thatad vratham……

Meaning: One who performs upasana  on prithvi (earth) and  akasa (sky)should never turn back someone who comes to his  house. Having received him into his house, he should even provide him with enough food. Therefore he should earn plenty of food through some professions accepted by the sastras. Generally affluent scholars request their guests to lunch whatever be their number. They will never turn away the guests for want of enough food. So people are advised to earn enough to cater to the needs of the guests and visitors.

The greatness  and  speciality of offering food (annadana) is now described:   We receive food in the same period of time as we offer it to others. One who receives a person with hunger with respect and offers him food shall get food even in his boyhood withrespect and without any difficulty. One who offers food to his guest after some delay after receiving him , shall get food in his middle age with some difficulty. On the other hand, If the guest is humiliated, sent back, but offered food without any alternative, such person shall have food in the last part of his life with great difficulty.

This is the method of performing upasana of the Brahman.(1)the word ‘kshema’ (welfare) means                         protection of what has been obtained. The Brahman is established in the form of ‘kshema’ in our speech. (2)The word yoga means to obtain something not yet obtained while kshema is to retain what has been obtained. The Brahman is fixed  as yoga and kshema in prana and apana. Upasana should be done with that view.(3) The Brahman is in the form of karma or action in the hands and movement in our legs. Upasana should be with that view.(4)The Brahman is in the form of excretion in the anus. This is how upasana  should be done in the human body. These are all adhyatmika upasanas.

Now adhideivika  upasanas are described:((1)  Rain is the main cause for the growth of medicinal herbs. So in the form of food or annam they provide trupti or contentment. It is the Brahman that is fixed as contentment in the rain. (2) It is the Brahman that is in the form of strength in electricity. Upasana should be done with that view.(3) It is the Brahman that is fixed as fame or renown in herds of cattle.(4) It is again the Brahman that is fixed as radiance in all the stars in the sky.(5) the word ‘prajapati’ means the birth of sons. the word ‘amrutam’ means the release of the debt of the pitrus (forefathers) after the birth of sons. Ananda means happiness .The Brahman is fixed in the genitals as prajapati and ananda. This should be included in adhyatmika  upasana.(6) Everything  is fixed in akasa. Hence akasa should be considered as the Brahman in upasana.  Akasa  as the Brahman is fixed in the atma.

Akasa, the form of Brahman ,has the quality of greatness (mahathva).One becomes great by such upasana. Akasa, that is Brahman has the quality of ‘namana’ which means to be under one’s control. By such upasana of akasa as the Brahman , the person has all desires in his control. By considering the akasa as the biggest thing, the person will be endowed with special qualities of character. By considering akasa, the Brahman, as the veda, all the Vedas will be in his possession.

Akasa the Brahman, has the quality of ‘parimara’ which means Vayu or wind. It includes five devathas.”parimrayanteasminpanchadevathavidyuth,vrushtihi,chandramaha,Adithyaha,Agnihi,itiparimaraha” Therefore Vayu  is not different from akasa. Akasa  becomes parimara to the Brahman. Upsana should be with this view.

All enemies of a person who performs such upasana shall die. Those who are passive and do not hate  shall also be destroyed.

There is absolutely no difference between the atma in the Purusha and the atma in Aditya(sun0.They are not two different things. The person who comprehends this shall leave this world after his death  and transcend annamaya, pranamaya,  manomaya,  vignanamaya, andanandamayaatmas. He shall move about  “Bhuradilokas” and have food according to his desires. He shall also be capable of taking whatever form he wants to take. He considers all the worlds as himself and reveals that everything in the world is the Brahman. He reveals his great fulfillment and his experience in the form of SamaGana.

The original sound” havu, havu, havu” is the resultant form of music for the amazing sound. The repetition of the sound thrice indicates an extreme sense of amazement.

The astounding fact is described: “though niranjana, adwaya (not two) atma, I am also annam, andannaada. Also I am myself “slokakruth ”The word “slokakruth’ means the “doer”, Kartha  of all the annam and annaadas who is Awareness and omniscient (sarvagna) himself. Repetition of the word “ahamslokakruth” thrice is to indicate extreme sense of astonishment

‘Whoever gives me the ‘annatmika’ to the needy and calls me that way, he protects me.

‘Whoever does not offer me (annatmika) to the needy and the hungry and eats it away,  will eat him away.

“With the form of Parameswara I am destroying all the worlds with Brahma and all creatures.”

“My brilliance is eternal  like the sunlight”

This  Upanishad  with the two VALLIS detailing the ParamathmaVignana comes to a close.

                                                               

BHRUGUVALLI EIGHTH AND NINTH ANUVAKAS

                         

                                        Anna Brahmopasana  Vrata Niyamaha

                                           (The Rules of Anna Brahmopasana)

Mantra:  annam naparichakshita  apova annam  jyothirannada  mapsu jyothi prathistitam

…….

Meaning: Water taken in is absorbed   by the body  (jataragni).  Therefore  water becomes annam. Jyothis  or radiance becomes annaada. As there is electricity in rain water and as sweat appears on the body, both water and radiance  fix  themselves  mutually, They also become  annam  mutually. A person who realizes this and performs upasana shall have plenty of  food , good hunger, children, herds of  cattle, the effulgence of the Brahman and great renown. Here the emphasis is that readily available annam should not be rejected.                                                                                                                                           

                                                                               

                                                                    Ninth Anuvaka

Mantra:  annam bahukurvita tadvratam pruthivi vaannama akaasonnadaha……..

One has to earn annam  intensely for feeding the unexpected guests (atithis). This is the  vratha-religious regimen. As the earth is in between the space(akasa) above and below it becomes anna  and akasa becomes annaada. To the common view , as akasa is seen above the earth , earth becomes the base for akasa. Analytical view considers akasa as the base for the earth. So we have to imagine their mutual dependence and  becoming  annam  to each other mutually.

One who realizes this and performs  upasana , as in the previous cases ,shall have plenty of food ,the state of being annaada, children, herds of cattle, and renown in the world without fail.

                                                                              

THE STORY BEHIND VIJAYA DASAMI

                                                       

VIJAYA is one of the ten names of Arjuna the famous Pandava warrior of the epic Mahabhararatha! The other names of Arjuna are Phalguna, Partha Kiriti, Swethavahana, Bibhatsa, Krishna, Savya sachi, and Dhananjaya! The tenth day of the waxing moon ( sukla paksha) of the month of Aswiyuja has a winning connection with Arjuna!This is not very well known to  many people. The word Vijaya denotes victory or success. Thus this Dasami is considered the best and the most auspicious day for commencing any type of activity. What is the story in Mahabharatha behind this VIJAYADASAMI?

       It was the period of ‘ajnathavasa’, (living incognito) for the Pandavas. They had disguised themselves and served in the palace of King Virata. Yudhishtira was the royal adviser to the king. Bhima was the chief chef in the royal kitchen. Arjuna, as Bruhannala, served as the dance master to the princess UTTARA and assisted the queen. Nakula and Sahadeva  looked  after the herds of cattle and others. Days went on smoothly for almost the end of the ajnathavasa.

        Duryodhana and the Kauravas were on tenterhooks. They wanted to find out the whereabouts of the Pandavas. If within the end of this period the Pandavas are found out, they have to go into the forest for 12 more years and one more year of living incognito. Through spies and much effort they knew that the Pandavas,  in disguise, were with King Virata. Duryodhana was exuberant with the thought of sending back the Pandavas for another term of forest life. Plans were contemplated to draw the Pandavas  out  as early as possible. It was suggested that the Kaurava forces should attack northern part and steal away the herds of cattle! Pandavas would surely come out of their hiding to help the king. That will spell doom for Pandavas as they have to go to the forest once again! That was the grand plan of the Kauravas! Orders were  passed  and  Kauava forces invaded the northern part, rounded up the herds and seized them! This incident is called UTTHARA GOGRAHANA

        There was alarm in King Virata’s court. This was totally a bolt from the blue. Prince Utthara Kumara was young and inexperienced. Yudhishtira, being the advisor  suggested  that  if permission is granted he and his brothers can help in defeating the Kauravas  and bring back the herds of cattle. The Prince was in a dilemma. Prince UTTHARA KUMARA volunteered to go to the battle  field  and fight but the king was hesitant. The Prince insisted  on fighting the kaurava forces but he had no competent  sarathi—driver of chariot! Thereupon, Arjuna   offered  himself to be the driver for prince UTTHARA KUMARA. The prince was not impressed as Bruhannala was only a dance master for his sister, Uttara. But Bruhannala pointed out that he was once the driver of the chariot of Arjuna the pandava warrior. Finally the prince readied himself to fight the Kauravas and left for the battlefield  with Arjuna driving the chariot!

           The  moment  the prince saw the mighty army of the kauravas , he began to tremble with fear. He could not stand. Suddenly he threw down his bow and arrows and asked Arjuna to stop the chariot. Before Arjuna could do so, the prince jumped down and began running! Arjuna brought back the running prince, encouraged him, and directed him to drive the chariot. He said that he would fight the Kauravas. Then Arjuna went to the “SEMI VRUKSHA” the tree where the Pandavas had hidden all their weapons before they went to king Virata. He bowed down to the tree, retrieved his great bow Gandiva and the quiver of arrows even as the prince was bewildered! Arjuna then fought the Kauravas and with his “ sammohanasthra” made all kaurava forces faint!  All the herds of cattle were brought back to their original Place! That day of the victory of Arjuna over the Kaurava forces happened to be the ‘dasami’—tenth day of the waxing moon of the month of Aswiyuja! It was the Day of Victory for VIJAYA   ie Arjuna! Hence the day is called ‘ Vijaya Dasami---the day of victory not only for Arjuna  but for all!!

           Different stories are popular in different states in India! VIJAYA DASAMI Is considered as the celebration of the day of Victory when Adi Parashakti, as DURGA killed Mahishasura the tormentor of Devas  After killing him on the 8^th day of Navarathri she sits in durbar—in court with all majesty and grandeur! That is the significance of ‘ koluvu’ in South India! Almost every house has a simple or grand koluvu to signify the end of EVIL and the rule of GOOD!!