Friday, May 27, 2011

Vinay Patrika: Hymn 174

Raag Sorath


Shri Ram & Janaki Are Very Dear to Us

jaake priya na raam-baidehee |

tajiye taahi koti bairee sam, jadyapi param sanehee ||1||

so chhandhiye

tajyo pitaa prahlaad, bibheeshan bandhu, bharat mahtaaree |

bali guru tajyo kant braj-banitanhi, bhaye mud-mangalkaaree ||2||

naate neh raamke maniyat suhrid susebya jahaan laaun |

anjan kahaa aankhi jehi phoote, bahutak kahaaun kahan laaun ||3||

tulsee so sab bhaanti param hit poojya praante pyaaro |

jaason hoya saneh raam-pad, aito mato hamaaro ||4||


Shri Ram & Janaki Bless Their Devotees

One should discard those people like millions of foes, to whom Shri Ram and Janaki ji are not dear, even if it is someone who is extremely lovable to us ||1||


The Gopis Represent Lord Krishna's Hungering Devotees

(Citing examples we can see)Prahlad abandoned his father (*Hiranyakashipu)-*Vibhishana gave up his brother (Ravana)-Bharat ji renounced his mother (*Kaikeyi)-Raja Bali abandoned his guru (*Shukracharya)-and the *gopis of Vraja renounced their respective husbands (considering them to be impediments in their union with Krishna)But all of them granted religious rapture and worked for the well-being of mankind||2||


The Idols of Shri Ram, Sita & Lakshman in Raghunath Temple

All the people who are good-hearted and worth praying to with dedication, are considered as such only due to their bonding with Shri Raghunath ji and his love. That is all! What more can I say? If the eye ruptures by the application of a certain lampblack, of what worth is that lampblack? ||3||


One Gradually Develops Love for Shri Ram's Feet

O Tulsidas! Because of whom ( either due to his company or spiritual instruction) one develops love for Shri Ramchandra ji's feet, that person is supremely beneficial, venerable and dearer than our very lives. This is precisely our motto||4||


Hiranyakashipu: is the great king of demons, and he had a boon by Brahma, which made it almost impossible for him to be killed.He demanded that people stop worshipping God and start praising him.


Despite this, Hiranyakashipu's own son, Prahlada, was a devotee of Lord Vishnu. Prahlada was poisoned but the poison turned to nectar in his mouth, he was to be trampled by elephants yet remained unharmed. He was put in a room with hungry, poisonous snakes and survived. All of Hiranyakashipu's attempts to kill his son failed. Finally, he ordered young Prahlada to sit on a pyre on the lap of his demoness sister, Holika. When the fire started, Holika burnt to death, while Prahlada survived unharmed.


Vibhishana: Due to Vibhishana's differences with Ravana and because he was against the kidnapping of Sita, Ravana exiled him from Lanka. His mother, Kaikesi, advised him to go and serve Shri Rama, who was assembling an army to conquer Ravana and recover Sita. Lord Rama accepted Vibhishana's service and anointed him the Lord of Lanka after Ravana's death.


Kaikeyi: Kaikeyi's desire to retain her status over Kausalya made her demand the two boons granted to her earlier by Dasaratha. In order to ensure that Rama would be no threat to her son Bharata, Kaikeyi demanded the exile of Rama from Ayodhya for 14 long years. She wanted Bharata, born of her, to succeed Dasratha as King of Kosala.


After sending his son into exile, a grief-stricken Dasaratha died six days after Rama left Ayodhya. Furthermore, Bharata swore never to ascend the throne as it was his older brother's birth right. He further blamed her for his father's death and is said never to have addressed her as "Mother" again. Kaikeyi died a lonely woman, estranged from her son, his wife and their two sons, her only grandchildren.


Shukracharya: was the son of Sage Bhrigu and a guru of the Demons.As per the Puranas when Lord Vishnu appeared as Vamana in the yajna of King Bali, Shukracharya sensed an impending danger. He warned King Bali that this dwarf was no ordinary human being but Sri Vishnu in disguise.


But King Bali was pleased to make any offering that the little Vamana asked. He said to King Bali that what more can I achieve when Lord Vishnu is standing before me and asking for Dhana (gift).


King Bali readily agreed to give the three steps of land that was asked by Vamana.


Gopis: means cowherdesses. In Hinduism specifically gopis is used to refer to the group of cow herd girls famous in Vaishnavism for their unconditional devotion to Krishna as described in the stories of Bhagavata Purana.


According to Hindu Vaishnava theology the gopis exemplify the highest form of unconditional love for God' (Krishna). Their spontaneous devotion is described in the later chapters of the Bhagavata Purana, within Krishna's Vrindavan pastimes and also in the stories of sage Uddhava.

Vinay Patrika: Hymn 169

Raag Sorath


The Loving Tenderness of Lord Ram

jo mohi raam laagte meethe |

taau navras shatras-ras anaras havaai jaate sab seethe ||1||

banchak bishay bibidh tanu dhari anubhave sune aru ddeethe |

yah jaanat haaun hriday aapne sapne na aghaai ubeethe ||2||

tulsidaas prabhu son ekhin bal bachan kahat ati dheethe |

naamkee laaj raam karunaakar kehi na diye kar cheethe ||3||


The Navrasas or Nine Pleasures

If I had found Shri Ramchandra ji to be sweet & loving, the navras (nine rasas or pleasures of aesthetic emotions like sweet love,humour, compassion, heroism, rage, fearsome, disgust, wonder and serenity, characterising a literary work)


The Six Rasas or Flavours

and the six rasas or flavours (bitter,pungent, sweet, astringent, sour and salty,the six tastes of food) would have seemed tasteless and insipid. (But Ram ji does not appear lovingly tender and that is the reason why sensual enjoyments seem pleasing) ||1||


Salvation, the Highest Truth

Having taken on various kinds of bodies, I have experienced plus I have heard and seen that (worldly) enjoyments are frauds. (Misleading us in this illusory world of maya, they annihilate the wealth of the highest truth which is salvation)Although I am very well aware of this fact in my heart, nevertheless my mind is never bored of being sated by them (worldly pleasures) even in my dreams. (how worthless is this act?)||2||


The Name of Shri Ram Grants Mukti

But Tulsidas makes this bold statement on the basis of just one powerful trait of Shri Raghunath ji, his svami. O Nath! Being compassionate haven't you given written authority to so many people (for releasing them from the bondage of this material world), to protect the honour of your name.?(Whosoever takes your name he is certainly granted the right of mukti or salvation.Therefore, I am also endorsing the same truth)||3||

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Vinay Patrika: Hymn 162

Raag Sorath


Shri Ram is Moved by the Suffering of Mankind


aaiso ko udaar jag maaheen |

binu seva jo dravaai deenpar raam saris kou naaheen ||1||

jo gati jog biraag jatan kari nahin paavat muni gyaanee |

so gati deit geedh sabree kahan prabhu na bahut jiya jaanee ||2||

jo sampati das sees arap kari raavan siv pahan leenheen |

so sampadaa bibheeshan kahan ati sakuch-sahit hari deenheen ||3||

tulsidaas sab bhaanti sakal sukh jo chaahasi man mero |

taau bhaju raam, kaam sab pooran karaain kripaanidhi tero ||4||


Lord Ramchandra

Who is so generous and instantly moved on seeing the poor & suffering people of this material world, without their serving him? Only Shri Ramchandra is of this calibre and there is none other equivalent to him ||1||


Shri Ram Grants Moksha to Jatayu

Great knowledgeable munis can not attain the *supreme condition even on adopting various means like *yoga and asceticism. Lord Raghunath ji granted that highest state of mukti to a vulture(*Jatayu) and *Shabari and did not consider it a great generosity on His part ||2||


Shri Ram Declares Vibhishan King of Lanka, After Ravana's Death

The wealth which *Ravana had attained by offering all of his ten heads to Lord Shiva; that same opulence was hesitantly given by Shri Ram to Vibhishana ||3||


Hanumanji Does Bhajan of Shri Ram

Tulsidas ji says,” O heart of mine! If you long for all the joys in every possible way, do bhajan or worship Shri Ram. The reservoir of mercy will certainly grant all your wishes ||4||

supreme condition: salvation, or release of the soul from the body and from further rebirth.


yoga: a practice of abstract meditation undertaken to bring the soul into union with the supreme spirit; bodily exercises or disciplines as conducive to the above.


Jatayu: In the Ramayana, Jatayu is the son of Aruna and nephew of Garuda. A demi-god who has the form of a vulture, he was an old friend of Dasharatha. He tries to rescue Sita from Ravana on his way to Lanka. Jatayu fought valiantly with Ravana but was old. As Rama and Lakshmana chance upon the stricken and dying Jatayu in their search for Sita, he informs them of the fight and the southern direction which Ravana had taken.


While Jatayu was wounded Lord Rama arrived and decided that Jatayu get moksha. Lord Rama hit an arrow in the ground so as to summon the seven sacred rivers. Six rivers' waters arrived, one river water failing to obey Lord Rama. Since Lord Rama was himself an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, He forced the Gaya teertha to arrive at the spot. Finally Jatayu was given the waters of seven rivers and He attained moksha.


Shabari: was a hunter's daughter and belonged to the Bhils. The night before her marriage, she saw thousands of goats and sheep were going to be sacrificed for the marriage dinner. Moved, she renounced the world and fled to meet a Master. After days, she met Sage Matanga at the foot of the Mountain Rishyamukha and accepted him as guru. When Matanga was about to die, Shabari now old said that after serving him throughout her life, she wanted to reach the same "abode of peace" which Matanga had. Thereupon, the sage said because of her seva, Lord Rama would give her darshan.


Everyday Shabari would go and pluck berries for Lord Rama. She would pluck a fruit, taste it, and if it was sweet put it in her basket and discard the bitter ones.


Rama went to Shabari's ashram because of her sincere devotion. On seeing Rama, Shabari was ecstatic and offered the fruits she had collected to Rama. Lakshmana was concerned that Shabari had already tasted them and to this Rama said, "nothing could equal these berry fruits, offered with such devotion. You taste them, then alone will you know. Whomsoever offers a fruit, leaf, flower or some water with love, I partake it with great joy.” Pleased with Shabari's devotion, Rama granted her Moksha or liberation.

Ravana : Shiva Tandava Stotram is a hymn of praise that describes Shiva's power and beauty. It was sung by Ravana, the son of Rishi Vishrawas. Both the fourth and fifth quatrains of this hymn conclude with lists of Shiva's epithets as destroyer.


In the final quatrain of the poem, after tiring of rampaging across the Earth, Ravana asks, "When will I be happy?" Because of the intensity of his prayers and ascetic meditation, of which this hymn was an example, Ravana received from Shiva the boon of indestructibility by all powers on heaven and earth — except by a human being. Considering humans to be weak, Ravana abducted the wife of Rama, Lord Vishnu incarnate.


Vibhishana: was pure of mind and heart. From childhood, he spent his time meditating on the name of the Lord. Eventually, Brahma appeared and offered him a boon. Vibhishana wanted to have his mind fixed on the lotus feet of the Lord and have darshan of Lord Vishnu. Finally he was able to give up his wealth and family, and join Rama who was God incarnate.


Ravana exiled him from Lanka and his mother, Kaikesi, advised him to serve Shri Rama, who was assembling an army to conquer Ravana and to recover Sita. Lord Rama accepted Vibhishana's service and anointed him the Lord of Lanka after Ravana's death.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Vinay Patrika: Hymn 160

Raag Nat


Shri Ram Darbar

maain hari patit-paavan sune |

maain patit tum patit-paavan dou baanak bane ||1||

byaadh ganikaa gaj ajaamil saakhi nigmani bhane |

aaur adham anek taare jaat kaapaai gane ||2||

jaani naam ajaani leenhen narak *surpur mane |

daastulsee saran aayo, raakhiye aapne ||3||


Tulsidas ji Affirms that Shri Ram Purifies the Sinful

O *Hare! I have heard that you are the one who purifies the sinful. Thus I am the sinner and you are the one who purifies one's sins; and so it is a favourable situation for both of us, we are in perfect harmony with each other.(what doubt remains in my becoming pure, as of now?) ||1||


Ajamil Calls out To Narayan

The Vedas are giving evidence that You have made a hunter (Valmiki), ganika (prostitute Pingala),Gajendra and Ajamil plus several other despicable living beings cross over the ocean of this material world. And who can possibly count their number? ||2||


Tulsidas Seeks the Refuge of Shri Ram

Those who have taken your Name knowingly or unknowingly, have been stopped from going to hell or heaven (the paradise of Vishnu). Which means they are liberated (attain salvation) once they cross over the ocean of existence. (Solely by understanding and grasping this truth) Tulsi has also come to seek your refuge, and you make him your own, as of now||3||


Surpur: the world of the gods, the heaven of Indra.Taking the name of the Supreme Lord at the time of one's death has been said to give us mukti or salvation and does not assure our going to paradise (of Vishnu)


Hare: refers to Harati or He who unties the knot material desires in this mundane world.


Valmiki: Some say that Valimiki was a highway robber named Ratnakar who used to rob people after killing them. Once, the robber tried to rob sage Narada who asked him if his family would share the sin he was incurring due to the robbery.The robber asked his family, but none agreed to bear the burden of sin. Dejected, the robber finally understood the truth of life and Narada taught him how to worship God. The robber meditated for many years, so much so that Ant-hills grew around his body.

Sage Narada was adored by Lord Krishna, and employed different ways to bring people nearer to God. He convinced dacoit Ratnakar to chant "Mara, Mara" - the reverse of "Rama, Rama" - helping him evolve enough to get transformed into sage Valmiki.


Ganika: Pingala, the Prostitute: In ancient times, in Videha-Nagari of King Janaka, there lived a prostitute named Pingala.


After experiencing miseries in her profession, she gave up worldly desires and began to think, "Lord Krishna is very dear to my heart, but I have not tried to please Him. Regarding these persons who will die one day – what happiness have they given to me? No happiness at all. They enjoyed my body, I became theirs, and I lost everything. Somehow, by the mercy of Krishna, I have now renounced them, and this renunciation will take me to Krishna."


Pingala then closed the door of her house, lied down to sleep and slept very well. And afterwards she became a great devotee.


Gajendra : was the king of elephants. One hot day, he went to the lake with his family to cool off in its fresh waters. But from within the lake a crocodile attacked and would not let go of him. When the family saw ‘death’ coming close to Gajendra, they abandoned him. Gajendra prayed to Lord Vishnu who came to the aid of Gajendra, who offered a lotus to the god. Vishnu attacked the crocodile and saved His Loved One.


Ajamil: was the son of a devout devotee of Vishnu. But unlike his holy father wasted his time in sinful activities.


One day, his father sent him to the nearby forest to pluck flowers. There a beautiful tribal woman, accompanied by her lover, saw the handsome Ajamil and fell in love with him. Ajamil agreed to marry her and returned home with his bride. Shocked, his father rejected her and Ajamil he threw the old man on the ground and asked him to leave the house. Ajamil's sins increased with the passing years .Ajamil's wife bore him ten sons and the youngest, Narayana was the most loved of them all.


Ajamil slowly became weak and took to his bed. He saw Yama's two messengers by his bedside. Startled, he shouted his son Narayan's name. Lord Vishnu who is called Narayana heard the plea and responded.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Vinay Patrika: Hymn 156

Raag Sarang


Chant the Name of Shri Ram In Kaliyuga


kali naam kaamtaru raamko |

dalnihaar daarid dukaal dukh, dosh ghor ghan ghaamko ||1||

naam leit daahino hot man, baam bidhaataa baamko |

kahat munees mahes mahaatam, ulte soodhe naamko ||2||

bhalo lok-parlok taasu jaake bal lalit-lalaamko |

tulsee jag jaaniyat naamte soch na kooch mukaamko ||3||


Shri Ram-Naam is the kalpavriksha of Kaliyuga

The name of Shri Ram is the *kalpavriksha in Kaliyuga. Because it destroys poverty, grief, vices and dense clouds (of ignorance) plus the blazing sun ( of sensual pleasures)||1||


A Hunter Becomes Sage Valmiki by Chanting the Name of Ram

The instant we recite the name of Shri Ram the hostile mind of the contrary ordainer also becomes favourable.The great sage Valmika has sung the glory of 'maraa-maraa or the reverse name of Rama-Rama and Lord Shiva has directly stated the majestic greatness of Ram-Naam. It means that while chanting the Name of Rama in a reverse fashion, Valmiki became a brahmarshi (great sage) from a hunter.


Lord Shiva Drinks the Deadly Poison

Whereas Lord Shiva drank the deadly poison halahala and was considered a svarupa of the Supreme Lord because of chanting the name of Shri Ram in a straight fashion||2||



Spiritual Bliss

Whosoever has the power of this supremely beautiful Ram-Naam, for him both this loka or material world and parloka or the next world, are joyous. O Tulsi! By having the might of the name of Shri Ram neither does one experience thoughts of leaving this mundane world nor does not one want to stay here. The bhava is that due to constantly being absorbed in spiritual bliss, life and death hold equal value for such a person ||3||


Kalpavriksha: one of the fabulous trees of Krishna's paradise that grants all desires.


Valmiki: Some say that Valimiki was a highway robber named Ratnakar who used to rob people after killing them. Once, the robber tried to rob sage Narada who asked him if his family would share the sin he was incurring due to the robbery.The robber asked his family, but none agreed to bear the burden of sin. Dejected, the robber finally understood the truth of life and Narada taught him how to worship God. The robber meditated for many years, so much so that Ant-hills grew around his body. Finally, a divine voice bestowed him with the name "Valmiki": "one born out of ant-hills".


Sage Narada had the knack of bringing about social change and spiritual growth wherever he went. Adored and respected by Lord Krishna, Narada employed different ways to bring people nearer to God. He convinced the dacoit Ratnakar to chant "Mara, Mara" - the reverse of "Rama, Rama" - helping him evolve enough to get transformed into sage Valmiki.Rishi Valmiki's transition from a robber to a sage was an instance of a realisation that one needs to bear the fruit of his Karma.


Lord Shiva drinks halhala: During the churning of the ocean by the gods and demons, one of the product emerged from the churning was a dangerous poison halahala. This terrified the gods and demons because the toxic poison could destroy all of creation. On the advice of Vishnu, the gods approached Shiva for help. Shiva swallowed the poison in an act of self-sacrifice. However, his terrified consort Parvati squeezed his throat to prevent the poison descending into his body. Thus the poison was stuck in Shiva's throat with nowhere to go, and changed the color of Shiva's neck to blue. For this reason, he is also called Nilakanta.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Vinay Patrika: Hymn 155

Raag Sarang


Have Implicit Faith In the Name of Shri Ram


bisvaas ek ram-naamko |

maanat nahin parteeti anat aesoi subhaav man baamko ||1||

padhibo paryo na chhati chh mat rigu jajur atharvan saamko |

brat teerath tap suni sahmat pachi maraai karaai tan chhaam ko ?||2||

karam-jaal kalikaal kathin aadheen susaadhit daamko |

gyaan biraag jog jap tap, bhay lobh moh koh kaamko ||3||

sab din sab laayak bhav gaayak raghunaayak gun-graamko |

baaithe naam-kaamtaru-tar dar kaaun ghor ghan ghaamko ||4||

ko jaanaai ko jaaihaai jampur ko surpur par dhaamko |

tulsihin bahut bhalo laagat jag jeevan raamgulaamko ||5||


Trusting Shri Ram

I only have implicit faith in the Name of Shri Ram. The bent of my devious mind is such that it does not have trust anywhere else||1||


A Study of the Shastras

A study of the six *Shastras ( Nyay,Vaisheshik, Sankhya,Yog, Poorv Mimansa and Vedanta) and reading the four Vedas namely Rig, Sama, Yajur and Atharva had not been destined in my *chhati. And in my heart I am sacred of hearing the names of vrata or fast, pilgrimages, *tapa and other austerities. Who will want to exhaust oneself and one's body? (by adopting these means in vain)||2||


Yagna Being Performed

It is difficult to do *karmkands (performing yagnas and so on) in Kaliyuga and doing them also depends on wealth. (What are left as of now) are *gyaan (understanding of the identity of the self with the ultimate brahman), vairagya or asceticism,yoga, japa & tapa, and other means. Now while adopting this recourse one is afraid of passionate desire, anger, greed, infatuation and other drawbacks creeping in ||3||


Kalpavriksha of Shri Ram's Name

The one who sings the glories of Shri Raghunath ji In this material (world) is constantly worthy in every possible way. How is a person sitting in the shade of Shri Ram Naam's Kalpavriksha, scared of very dense clouds (ignorance dominated by the quality of tamas or darkness) or blazing sunshine (the dazzle of sensual enjoyments)?||4||


Goswami Tulsidas, the Slave of Shri Ram

The bhava is that they can not be ensnared by worldly objects on being controlled by ignorance. With this measure, sins and suffering always remain away from such people. Who knows which person is going to hell, who is proceeding to heaven (of Indra) and who will head for the supreme abode(Vaikunth where Lord Vishnu forever dwells)? Tulsidas is very delighted to live as the slave of Shri Ram ji in this mundane world||5||


Shastras: All the six Darshan Shastras or Hindu philosophical systems are in sutra form.They are Nyay by Sage Gautam,Vaisheshik by Sage Kanad, Sankhya by Bhagwan Kapil,Yog by Sage Patanjali, Poorv Mimansa by Sage Jaimini and Vedanta or Uttar Mimansa (Brahm Sutra) by Bhagwan Ved Vyas) Vedic literature is so extensive that it is tough to comprehend its theme in totality. So Sage Jaimini,a pupil of Ved Vyas, wrote the Poorv Mimansa Sutras for the correct understanding of the Vedas.


Nyay and Vaisheshik Sutras describe the logical steps of how to determine the rights and wrongs for finding the absolute good for a person. Sankhya Sutras explain mayic creation which is worth discarding and the Divinity beyond which must be attained since it is the only source of bliss. Yoga Sutras go on to explain the process of heart purification which qualify a person for experiencing the absolute Divine. Then the Brahm Sutra (Uttar Mimansa) reveals the secret that God is absolute Divinity, absolute Bliss, and He is Gracious. So, passionately remember Him and with His Grace experience His absolute Bliss forever.


Chhati: A ritual takes place on the sixth day after birth, when the new mother and baby emerge from the room where the birth has taken place and where they have been secluded. This is a personal ceremony performed by the family elders. The baby is dressed in new clothes. a swastik sign is made on a white cloth and also on the wall. An earthen diya , called akhand diya, is lighted for 24 hours, at this altar. A piece of paper and pen are kept nearby in the belief that the goddess of destiny (bhagya vidhata) will write the destiny of the newborn.


Vrata : a fast


tapa: penance


Karmkand: refers to ritual services proferred by swamis or religious Brahmins in exchange for bhiksha.


Japa: incantation


Tapa: austere penance


yoga: a practice of abstract meditation undertaken to bring the soul into union with the supreme spirity by bodily exercises and disciplines as conducive to the above.


Kalpavriksha: one of the fabulous trees of Krishna's paradise that grants all desires.

Vinay Patrika: Hymn 131

Raag Bihag

Bilaaval


Ahilya Attains Salvation by Falling at Shri Ram's Feet


paavan prem ram-charan-kamal janam laahu param |

ramnaam leit hoit, sulabh sakal dharam ||1||

jog, makh, bibek, birat, baed-bidit karam |

karibe kahan katu kathor, sunat madhur, naram ||2||

tulsee suni, jaani-boojhi, bhoolhi jani bharam |

tehi prabhuko hohi, jaahi sab hee kee saram ||3||


Dedicated Love for Shri Ram, is the Supreme Fruition of Life

Having purely sincere (selfless) love for the lotus feet of Shri Ramchandraji, is the supreme fruition of life, for certain. The instant we chant the name of Ram all religions are easily attainable||1||


The Vedas

In fact *yoga, *yagna, discernment, asceticism and several others *karmas have been explained in the Vedas.On hearing they sound so very sweet and tender, but are really harsh and tough when put into practice||2||


Goswami Tulsidas, the Servitor of Lord Ram

Therefore, O Tulsidas! Listen and do not forget in this misapprehension, on purpose. You must become (the daas or servitor) of that God who is mindful of the honour of everyone ||3||


yoga:a practice of abstract meditation undertaken to bring the soul into union with the supreme spirity by bodily exercises and disciplines as conducive to the above


yagna: a sacrificial act


karma: action with its fruit and implications of merit