Shastras, shlokas and devotional music

[suniti]

Dear Suniti,

The easiest way to proper breathing is to inhale at the beginning of a line and then at the end of a line - this is so that the chanting is done while exhaling.

l

Dear Swamykool-ji that is well said its basically the same thing, somehow i had difficulty expressing that but some time you should hear my gang chant rudram and the huge inhalations after each line. To be honest i feel when you learn chanting from a teacher these things come naturally, i mean breathing wise like in vedic chanting the swaras are very specific it gives you only one way to breathe or chant. Does that make sense? I'm not sure if it does but im saying this because it is my experience about my breath when i chant that there is a natural system that comes with chanting.

I am most certainly enjoying this thread and love the contributions that have come so far.

many pranaams to you
suniti

[suniti]

Pranaams
Yesterday i had started the Dakshinamurti Dhyaana Shlokas here without knowing that Ramanan Sir had already posted the stotra much earlier so i would like to replicate his here. i have removed the first one (mauna..) and started from the stotra because i had posted that & the word limits could make this many posts.

Viswam darpana drusyamana nagari,
Thulyam nijantargatham,
Pasyannathmani mayaya bahirivoth,
Bhutham yatha nidraya,
Ya sakshath kuruthe prabodha samaye,
Swathmanameva dwayam,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree Dakshinamurthaye., 2
Similar to the image of a town as seen in the mirror,
When one sees the image of the world within him,
The world appears as if it is outside.
It is similar to his seeing due to illusion,
During the state of sleep,
That the one real fact appears as many different truths,
And he realizes,when he wakes up and sees the reality,
That he is really the one and only one soul.
Salutation to the God facing the south,
Who is the greatest teacher.

The above stanza tells us that the world which is outside us is same as our soul but we see them as different entities due to the veil of ignorance. As soon as we wake up, we realize that the dream is false and even while seeing our image in the mirror, we know that we are not seeing us in the mirror but our image. When we get knowledge from the guru we are in the wakeful state without the veil of ignorance.
Beejasyanthari vankuro jagadhidham,
Prang nirvikalpam puna,
Mayakalpitha desa kala kalanaa,
Vaichithrya chithrikrutham,
Mayaveeva vijrumbhayathyapi maha,
Yogeeva yah swechaya,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 3
Like the germ inside the seed is its part,
But becomes different after development
The many places and time which are before us,
Are drawn by illusion in the board of life in a peculiar manner,
By a great savant or an expert Siddha,
Who can create them as per their will,
Salutation to the God facing the south,
Who is the greatest teacher.

When the net of illusion is lifted and when we reach the stage of manifestation, we would find that what we think as different is but one and the same.
Yasyaiva sphuranam sadathmakamasath,
Kalparthagam bhasathe,
Sakshaath thathwamaseethi veda vachasa,
Yobodhyathyasrithhan,
Yath saksht karanath bhavenna punara,
Aavrithir bhavambhonidhow,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 4
He who exists as the real light of truth,
And shines in the false world of appearance,
And He who teaches disciples the great saying,
“Thou art that”[2] after realizing its import,
Gets away from this cycle of life and death.
Salutation to the God facing the south,
Who is the greatest teacher.
Nanachidhra ghato dhara sthitha maha,
Deepa prabha bhaswaram,
Jnanam yasya thu chakshuradhi karana,
Dwara bahi spandathe,
Jaanameethi tham eva baandham anubathi,
Yethath samastham jagat,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 5
Like the light emanating from a lamp,
Kept in a pot with many holes,
Goes out in all directions,
In the person in whom the wisdom goes out
Through the openings of ear, eye , mouth and thought,
And when that person realizes that ‘I know myself”,
This whole universe shines after Him alone,
Who shines in the consciousness as the knower.
Salutation to the God facing the south,
Who is the greatest teacher.
Our body prevents us from seeing the truth(the light from outside) that we are the Brahman and lets out light though the sensory organs and makes us deceive ourselves by feeling that we are happy. This simile of a pot with holes for the body occurs in many places in Indian philosophy.
Deham pranam api indryanyapi chalaam,
Budhim cha soonyam vidhu,
Stree balandha jadopamasthvaha mithi,
Brandha brusam vadhina,
Maya sakthi vilasa kalpitha maha,
Vyamoha samharine,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 6
Those great philosophers , who think that,
The body, the soul and the fickle intellect,
The concept of emptiness and all other nothingness,
Are nothing but themselves,
Are similar to the women children , blind and the ignorant.
It is only He who can destroy, this veil of ignorance,
And wake us up from this state of deceit.
Salutation to the God facing the south,
Who is the greatest teacher.
This is a sample of the approach of negation in identifying the truth about the concept of self. Senses, the body etc cannot be the absolute truth as they are transient.

[swamykool]

Suniti,

Lets see what Ramanan ji has to say about this method of vedic chanting. Did you like the bhajan by M S Subbulakshmi?

swamykool

[suniti]

continued...

Rahu grastha divakarendu sadrusho,
Maya samachadanath,
Sanamthra karanopa samharanatho,
Yo abhoot sushuptha pumaan,
Pragaswapsaamithi prabodha samaye,
Yaa prathyabignayathe,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 7
Similar to the Sun when being masked by the serpent Rahu,
Knows that it was existing, once the eclipse is over
That man whose senses are suppressed
When he is asleep,
Because of the veil of illusion,
Realizes that he was in the state of sleep,
When he wakes up.
Salutation to the God facing the south,
Who is the greatest teacher.
Similar the sun existing even when there is eclipse, we exist when we are sleeping. This is denial of the Buddhist theory that, when we are asleep there is nothingness.
Balyadishwapi jagaradhadishu thadha,
Sarva sva avasthasthaswapi,
Vyavrutha swanuvarthamanamaha,
Mithyanth sphurantham sada,
Svathmaanam pragatikarothi bajatham,
Yo mudraya bhadraya,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 8
Salutations to him who shines and exhibits,
Himself by the beatific Chinmudhra of the hand,
That he exists within the humans as self,
Forever and non changing,
Even during the changing states of childhood, youth and old age
And even during the states of sleep, dream and wakefulness.
Salutation to the God facing the south,
Who is the greatest teacher.
The truth as represented by the concept of Brahman, exists always.
Viswam pasyathi karya karana thaya,
Swa swami sambandatha,
Sishyacharya thaya thadaiva pithru,
Puthradhyathmana bedatha,
Swapne Jagrathi va ya esha purusho,
Maya Paribramitha,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 9
The world sees as cause and effect,
The differences between us and our lord,
The distinction between teacher and the taught,
The distinction between father and son,
And so the man is confused by illusion,
And believes in these differences,
During the times of dream and wakefulness.
Salutation to the God facing the south,
Who is the greatest teacher.
The ignorance of the truth because of the veil of ignorance Maya is reemphasized.
Bhoorambaamsya anilo ambhara,
Maharnadho himamasu puman,
Ithyabhathi characharathmakamidham,
Yasyaiva murthyashtakam,
Nanyath kinchana vidhyathe vimrusathaam,
Yasmath parasmath vibho,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 10
To the sake of which supreme Brahman,
The universe is shining as self,
Which is Movable and immovable, with its aspects?
Of water, fire, air, space,
The sun, moon and the individual soul,
And also to those who examine the truth behind,
The meaning of this universe and find,
That it Consists of nothing but,
The God who is every where.
Salutation to the God facing the south,
Who is the greatest teacher.
Sarvathmathvamithi sphutikruthamitham,
Yasmadamushamin sthave,
Thenasya sravanath thadartha mananath,
Dyanascha Sankeerthanath,
Sarvathmathva maha vibhuthi sahitham,
Syadheeswarasthvam svatha,
Siddhyeth thath punarashtadha parinatham,
Chaisvaryamvayhatham., 11
The concept of the Athma,
Which is explained in this poem of praise,
Hearing which, understanding which,
Meditating which and singing which,
One would attain the state of the godliness,
And the great state of self realization,
And also you would get the eight powers of occult,
Without any problems in between.
Appendix
The following three stanzas as well as the first stanza are chanted after the main stotra:-
Chitram Vata tharor mole vruddha,
Sishya, Guror Yuva,
Gurostu mounam vykhyanam,
Sishyasthu china samsaya
It is strange to see,
The very old disciples,
And the very young teacher,
Who sit under a banyan tree,
With the teacher always observing silence,
And the students getting all the doubts cleared.
Om nama pranavarthaya,
Suddha jnanaika moorthaye nama,
Nirmalaya prasanthaya,
Sri Dakshinamurthaye nama.
Salutations to that Dakshinamurthy,
Who is the meaning of the pranava, “om”,
Who is the personification of unalloyed wisdom,
Who is crystal clear in his thought,
And who is the epitome of peace.
Gurave sara lokaanam,
Bishaje bhava roginaam,
Nidhaye sarva vidhyanam,
Sri Dakshinamurthaye nama.
Salutations to that Dakshinamurthy,
Who is the teacher of the entire world,
Who is the doctor to those,
Afflicted by the disease of birth and death,
And who is the treasure hose of all knowledge
R V RAMANAN
Site Administrator


Posts: 1383
Joined: 18 Mar 2010, 19:33

thanks Ramanan Sir for this...

Pranaams
suniti

[suniti]

Pranaams Swamykoolji
Yes Sir i liked the bhajan a lot

suniti

[swamykool]

Suniti,

Is Dakshinamurti a form of Shiva?

swamykool

[kandhan]

AFAIK Daskhinamoorthy is the form of Shiva as the Aadhi Guru/Mouna Guru. That is anthropomorphic form of worship of Shiva.

[swamykool]

Kandhan ji,

Thanks. Pl have a look at the Ram bhajan I have put up in the previous page. Its written by Guru Nanak and sung by M S Subbulakshmi, in the South Indian style.

swamykool

[Dev]

It is very nice that many of you are attaching good music videos that you have heard and have been impressed with. Thanks to all of you.

Dev

[kandhan]

downloaded it SKji.

[R V RAMANAN]

Dear Swamykool,

About the vedas, my understanding is a bit different.

Lets take the Rig Veda. The Rig Veda talks a lot about yagnyas or, in simple term, sacrifices. If we care to think that what is it that is ours for us to sacrifice. I feel, the only thing which we own is our ego and by chanting Rig Veda if u can get rid of the ego it is fine with me. But, it never happens that way. On the other hand, if we manage to get rid of our egos then we will be able to appreciate the rig veda better.

Now coming to Yajur. Its basically mantras. I have already written about what a mantra is. If by chanting the yajur veda we can understand what exactly is mantra then yajur veda is great. Otherwise, it makes no sense.

Sama is gaana or music. But u c, in music the silence between the two words u sing lends meaning and gives a rhyme. The gap between 'sa' and 'ri' gives the song a perfect rhyme. Instead, if it is just 'ssssssssssss' then its noise and not music. If by singing somebody can enter the realm of silence then the Saama veda is ok with me. Songs are divine, no doubt, but tell me among the millions who sang how many have reached the Lotus Feet of the Lord. Hardly, a very few.

The next comes Atharvana. The very name scares ppl and I dont know y. It talks about mani (talisman), mantra, aushadha and jothish. Since, this is actually not merely chanting but action-oriented we left this veda to rot and theres none available who practises it.

All-in-all, vedas look beautiful when chanted by a person who has realised but by chanting vedas u cant get there.

We have a loooot to learn or rather unlearn. Till then, all these theories are nothing but empty rhetoric.

Trust this helps.

Regards,
RAMANAN

[suniti]

We have a loooot to learn or rather unlearn. Till then, all these theories are nothing but empty rhetoric.
N

so true sir.....

pranaams
suniti

[swamykool]

Ramanan ji,

How are we supposed to proceed if everybody and everything falls silent? We are not siddha yogis, we don't know telepathic communication.

swamykool

[Dev]

We have a loooot to learn or rather unlearn.

This is a very true statement and applies to all and in every field of life. We have some preconcieved notions and always feel we are right or doing the right way or thinking what we learnt is the best. The mind is not receptive sometimes, it gets filled with maya unable to take inputs from others. A completely filled vessel cannot hold even drops of water more since it is already filled. So some receptive and open mindedness is necessary though one can be confident but arrogance should not get in and one should also welcome other thoughts and approaches and then compare and see the pros and cons.

Dev

[R V RAMANAN]

Dear Swamykool,

Here is the Asta dig balaka stotra which I told you yesterday. People who have vaasthu problems in their house can chant this and get relief.

============================
Indra (East)
Iraavatha gajaaroodam swarna Varnam kireetinam
Sahasra nayanam chakram vajra paanim vibaavayeth||

Agni (South East)
Sapthaarsisham cha pipraanam akshamaalaam kamandulum
Jwaalaa maalaa kulam raktham sakti hastham sakaasanam ||

Yama (South)
Kruthaantham mahishaaroodam dhanda hastham bayaanakam
kaala paasa tharam krishnam dhyaayeth dakshina dikpathim ||

Nirruthi (South West)
Raktha netram savaaroodam neelodhbala thala prabham
Kripana paani maasrowkam pipantham raakshaseswaram ||

Varuna (West)
Naaga paasa daram hrushtam rakthou gathyudhi vigraham
Sasaanga davalam dyaayeth varunam makaraasanam ||

Vaayu (North West)
Aapeetham haridhach chaayam vilolathwaja dhaarinam
Praana boothamcha boothaanaam harinastham sameeranam ||

Kubera (North)
Kuberam manujaaseenam sagarvam garva vigraham
Swarna chaayam gadhaa hastham uttharaadipathim smareth ||

Isaanam (North East)
Isaanam vrushabaaroodam thrisoolam vyaala dhaarinam
Sarachandra samaakaram trinethram neela kantakam ||

Regards,
Ramanan

[R V RAMANAN]

Dear Swamykool,

By silence I did not mean not doing anything. What I tried to say was we shd try and perceive whatever it is without adding or subtracting from it to suit our convenience.

If v vehemently hold on to our opinions and adamantly call it the Truth then where is the question of proceeding towards it.
--------------

Dear Dev,

In Truth there is neither humility nor arrogance. Even humility is a step below direct perception. If we are blessed to perceive then we can express just what we feel and here subtleties are out-of-the-door. Bcos by giving it a cover of tolerance and humility we will be distorting the Truth which shd be seen as-it-is, if at all we can see it. For eg, can u just sympathise with a non-believer too much or just brush him aside. See Dev, though there are so many methodologies, can they compensate for the basic quest and love for God in an aspirant. So what I said was we shd not tend to get carried away by the tools. My two cents.

Regards,
RAMANAN

[P.Srinivas. Rao]

Swamykoolji u started this thread with Rama Raksha Stotra, I would like to add few very simple , powerful Sri Rama mantras

1) Sri Ramaha Sharanam namaha

If u chant this mantra for 45 days ( Total 8 lakhs japas ) , u wll become great adyatmika vyakthi , respected by all

2) Om Ramaaya Hum Phat swaha

45 days ( total 8 lakhs japas ) --native will attain Mantra Siddhi and will be capable of doing any thing in life

3) Om Trylokyanathaaya Namaha

45 days ( total 9 lakhs japa ) --he will achieve all his desires


4) Om Hreem Shreem Shreem Daasharathaaya Namaha

----------------------Or-------------------------------
Om Hreem Shreem Shreem Daasarathaye namaha|( thanx Ramananji.

Readers please note that proper pronounciation is very important. I may be incorrect in my spellings and hence pronounciation of mantras may gets effected. Therfore kindly refer mantra books )


45 days ( 11 lakhs japas)-- native will have the Shakthi to please any God and he can get the mantra siddhi of any devatha he desires.

5) Srirama Jayarama Jaya Jaya Rama

On reciting this mantra Lord Anjaneya got the Chiranjeevatwa ( immortality)
This mantra Guru Ramadas told to Shivaji on the banks of Godavari river , Shivaji pleased Lord Sri Rama with this mantra. This is one of the SACRED Mantra--told in Mantra Saara Grantha. There is no restriction to this mantra, people from any caste, any religion can recite this mantra


To be continued------------

[mag]

Dear all,

Can you please tell a Mantra to overcome hurdles?

best regards

[spidey]

Dear all,

Can you please tell a Mantra to overcome hurdles?

best regards

Since you did not mention the specific problem , here is one universal panacea mantra - OM NAMAH SHIVAYA

Thanks and regards,
Spidey

[R V RAMANAN]

Dear mag,
Just read this stanza from Abirami Anthaathi starting

Thathiyuru maththil suzhalum ennaavi thalarvilathor.........

Regards,
Ramanan

[mag]

Since you did not mention the specific problem , here is one universal panacea mantra - OM NAMAH SHIVAYA

Thanks and regards,
Spidey

Thank you spidey. sometimes I have hurdles in whatever I do.. so did't mention it

Thank you Ramananji

[Dev]

Dear Ramanan,

In Truth there is neither humility nor arrogance. Even humility is a step below direct perception. If we are blessed to perceive then we can express just what we feel and here subtleties are out-of-the-door. Bcos by giving it a cover of tolerance and humility we will be distorting the Truth which shd be seen as-it-is, if at all we can see it. For eg, can u just sympathise with a non-believer too much or just brush him aside. See Dev, though there are so many methodologies, can they compensate for the basic quest and love for God in an aspirant. So what I said was we shd not tend to get carried away by the tools.

Yes, very well said. I agree with you.
Truth is a subtle thing which cannot be defined and can be felt and by giving cover we would only distort it.
Yes with a nonbeliever we can neither sympathise nor brush him aside.
Yes, those methadologies can never compensate for the quest and love of God.
Yes, getting carried away by the tools should be avoided.
You are among those few in the forum in a higher spiritual level and your words are golden words for all of us. Please continue do give your vauable thoughts like this.

Regards,
Dev

[Dev]

Hi Mag:
You can do the following on Hanumanji.

Hanuman beej mantra
ॐ अईम भ्रीम हनुमते, श्री राम दूताय नम:
Aum aeem bhreem hanumate, shree ram dootaaya namaha.

We pray to the Lord Hanuman, who is the greatest server and messenger of the Lord incarnate, Shree Rama.

Hanuman mantra
Manojavam maruta tulya vegam, jitendriyam buddhi mataam varishtham
vaataatmajam vaanara yooth mukhyam, shree raama dootam sharnam prapadye.

Let me pray to the one who is swift as thought (manojavam-), the one who is more powerful than the wind (marut.tulya.vegam-), the one who has conquered his senses (jitendriyam-), the one who is supreme among all intelligent beings, the son of the wind-god (vaataatmajam-), the commander of the army of forest creatures (vaanar.yooth.mukhyam-), Let me find refuge in Lord Rama's Messenger, the incomparable Lord Hanuman. Please accept me and my prayers at your feet

Lord Hanuman Gayatri
AUM aanjaneyaaya vid-mahe vaayu-putraayaya dheemahi
tanno hanumatah prachodayaat
We pray to the son of Goddess Anjani and the son of the "Wind"...
May Lord Hanuman lead our intellect towards intelligence and knowing.

Dev

[swamykool]

Srinivas ji,

Thank you very much sir ji, for putting up these potent mantras. The maha mantra 'shri ram jai ram jai jai ram' is known to us all. But the other mantras are new and unknown.

One question sir, you have prescribed a very large number of japas, in lakhs actually. Are these japas to be done in the Purashcharan method, increasing in number till purnima and then decreasing in number till amavasya?

regards
swamykool

[swamykool]

Ramanan ji,

Thanks a lot for giving us the asta dig balaka stotras. Frankly speaking I have never heard of these stotras before. They take care of all vastu doshas, is that so?

Regards
swamykool