Friday, January 20, 2012

45th & 46th Dohas of Uttar Kand

Chaupai:

jau° paraloka ihå° sukha cahahu, suni mama bacana hrdaya° dæRha gahahu |

sulabha sukhada måraga yaha bhåi, bhagati mori puråna sruti gyåna gåi ||1||

gyana agama pratyuha anekå, sådhana kathina na mana kahu° tekå |

karata kasta bahu påvai kou, bhakti hina mohi priya nahi sou ||2||

bhakti sutamtra sakala sukha khåni, binu satasamga na påvahi pråni |

punya pumja binu milahi na samtå, satasamgati samsrti kara amtå ||3||

punya eka jaga mahu° nahi dujå, mana krama bacana bipra pada pujå |

sånukula tehi para muni devå, jo taji kapatu karai dvija sevå ||4||


Bhakti or Religious Devotion of Lord Rama

If you desire happiness here as well as in paraloka (the next world) hereafter, mark My words and engrave them deeply in your heart. Oh friends! This path of religous devotion to Me is easy and joyous. The Vedas and Puranas have sung its glories. Knowledge (understanding of the identity of the self with the ultimate brahman) is difficult to grasp and there are several obstacles in attaining this gyan. Its path is rugged and there is no solid support for the mind to rest on. Rarely can a person attain it after taking great pains, even then he is not dear to Me because he is lacking in religious devotion. Bhakti or religious devotion is independent and a mine of all joys. However man cannot attain it without satsang or (the company of saints). And above all saints are inaccessible without a cluster of virtuous acts. Association with saints is what puts an end to the cycle of births and deaths.



Serving Brahmins Brings us Closer to Lord Rama

There is just one meritorious act in this world and there is no other (equivalent to it). And that is to worship the feet of *bråhmanas in thought, deed and word. Sages and gods are pleased with him who discards deceit and serves bråhmanas.


Doha:

aurau eka guputa mata sabahi kahau° kara jori |

samkara bhajana binå nara bhagati na påvai mori ||45||


One Can Attain the Bhakti of Lord Rama by Worshipping Shiva

There is another secret doctrine.With folded hands I reveal the same to everyone that without worshipping Lord Shankara, man cannot attain religious devotion to Me.


Chaupai:

kahahu bhagati patha kavana prayåså, joga na makha japa tapa upavåså |

sarala subhåva na mana kutilåi, jathå låbha samtosa sadåi ||1||

mora dåsa kahåi nara åså, karai tau kahahu kahå bisvåså |

bahuta kahau° kå kathå baRhåi, ehi åcarana basya mai bhåi ||2||

baira na bigraha åsa na tråså, sukhamaya tåhi sadå saba åså |

anårambha aniketa amåni, anagha arosa daccha bigyåni ||3||

priti sadå sajjana samsargå, trna sama bisaya svarga apabargå |

bhagati paccha hatha nahi sathatåi, dusta tarka saba duri bahåi ||4||



Yagya or Fire Sacrifice

Tell Me, what hard work is involved in treading the path of religious devotion? There is no need of either yoga (mind-control), yagya (sacrifices), japa (incantations), penance, or fasting. (All that is needed is) that one must have a simple disposition, the mind should be free of from deviousness and one should be forever content with whatever one gets. If he who is called my devotee, counts upon men, you tell Me, what faith does he have in Me?(which means his faith in Me is very weak.) What use is to further harp on the subject? Oh friends! I am won over by the conduct of a man as explained below. He who has no enmity or quarrels with anyone, is devoid of hope and fear, the four directions are full of joy for such a person.


A Vedic Sage

A person who undertakes nothing (with the desire of fruition which brings gains), who has no home of his own (is not attached to his house), is stripped of pride, sin and wrath. One who is clever and wise (in doing bhakti ) One who forever loves the company of sages and for whom everything even the enjoyments of heaven and mukti or salvation mean no more than a blade of grass. One who adamanatly adheres to bhakti or religious devotion but does not do the stupidity of refuting others opinions, and who has got rid of all false reasonings.


Doha:

mama guna gråma nåma rata gata mamatå mada moha |

tå kara sukha soi jånai parånamda samdoha ||46||



The Ultimate Brahman or Supreme Spirit

Only that person who has attained the treasure of ultimate bliss (understood the identity of the self with the Ultimate Brahman or Supreme Spirit)) can know the joy of one who is engrossed in singing and hearing My praises, is devoted to My Name, and is free from affection, intoxication and attachment to the world.


*brahmana is a name used to designate a member of one of the four varnas in the traditional Hindu society. In the Smriti view there are four "varnas", or classes: the Brahmins, the Kshatriyas, the Vaishyas, and Shudras.The Smritis conferred upon the Brahmins, the position of being the highest of the four Varnas. The priestly class was expected to practice self-abnegation and play the role of being the custodians of Dharma (as a Brāhman who is well versed in Vedic texts).

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Spiritual Calendar, 16th-31st January, 2012

19th January,2012 : Shat Tila Ekadashi


Shat-Tila Ekadashi
This ekadashi falls on the eleventh day of Krishnapaksh in the month of Paush.Til means sesame seeds and shat stands for six. The entire offering of six types of sesame seeds on Shat Tila Ekadasi is considered highly meritorious. Reciting the Vishnu Sahasra Nama Stotram (the thousand names of Vishnu) and worshipping Lord Vishnu is a must for devotees.

Please offer til-ladoos to Lord Vishnu, Ganesha, your family deity, the child form of Krishna or Lord Rama at home. As til is considered beneficial for the cold winter months, kindly give sesame seeds to needy students and the poor, this season .

20th January, 2012 : Til Pradosh

Lord Shiva
Pradosh means dusk and this fast is kept for propitiating Lord Shiva. With his blessings all desires are fulfilled and one attains spiritual enlightenment. Generally people observe the Pradosha Vrata on every trayodashi tithi (13th lunar day falling in Krishna and Shukla Pakshas) in the evening. Thus please offer plain water and bel patra to Lord Shiva to herald the New Year of 2011 with an auspicious note. The bel patra or leaf of the wood-apple tree represents the three eyes of lord Shiva and the three gunas.

23rd January, 2012: Mauni Amavasya
And the famed holy dip in Prayag during the Magh Mela. Mauni Amavasya is the no moon day in Magh(January to February) as per the traditional Hindu calendar followed in North India. Several Hindus keep a vow of absolute silence on this day. According to Hinduism, mauna or silence is an integral part of spiritual discipline. Derived from the word muni, mauna ideally symbolizes a state of oneness with the Self. Silence has also been described by Adi Shankaracharya as one of the three essential attributes of a sanyasi. In recent times Ramana Maharshi popularized silence as a medium of spiritual instruction.

Devotees Bathing at the Sangam in Prayag
On Mauni Amavasi a large number of Hindu devotees join Kalpavasis at Sangam in Prayag (Allahabad) and meditate the whole day in an attempt to calm the restive mind. Bathing in the holy Ganges and other such sacred rivers,frugally eating selective foodstuffs like fruits or items made of kootu-flour, visiting religious shrines and listening to discourses by holy men on this particular day is said to bestow great merit.

In fact the Magh Mela in Allahabad attracts millions of devout Hindus to bathe at the confluence of rivers Ganga and Yamuna. Many mendicants and aspirants stay on the banks of these rivers in Prayag. Aspirants who come here and stay for the entire month of Magh while doing religious observances are known as kalpavasis. Religious discourses, kirtans and satsangs are held for the devotees. Brahmans and others are bestowed with gifts and foods in charity.

On Mauni Amavasya traditionally Lord Vishnu is worshipped and the peepul tree is religiously circumambulated.

Shri Banke Bihari ji, Vrindavan
There is a great rush of devotees at the Shri Banke Bihari ji Temple in Vrindavan on every Amavasya. Since this is the Mauni Amavasya of the Magh Month, the devout Hindus thronging the shrine will be far greater.

26th January,2012: Happy Republic Day

26th January, 2012: Ganesh Chaturthi

Lord Ganesha
When people fast on Ganesh Chaturthi, they either opt for the nirjal vrat (a stringent, waterless fast) or phalahar vrat (a diet). Devotees are allowed to have sweets including til ke ladoo , gajak and rewari along with tea and coffee. In order to concentrate, the devotees chant mantras invoking Lord Ganesha and sing bhajans in his praise. It is believed that if one observes a fast on Ganesha Chaturthi with sincerity, he is blessed with health, wealth and prosperity.

28th January, 2012: Basant Panchami

Celebrating Basant Panchami with Joyous Abandon
Seasons undergo change and Basant Panchami heralds the arrival of spring.

Sprinkling of Gulal Starts in Vrindavan
From Basant Panchami the sprinkling of gulal or red coloured powder starts in Braj-Vrindavan and continues up to Holi. In Braj this festival of colours is celebrated for a span of 41 days (foreword on Braj Bhoomi Mohini by Saint Ushaji).

Saint Usha ji's Yugal Sarkar
At Vrindavan our Sri Yugal Sarkar (the svarupas of Shri Radha-Krishna) are decked with mustard flowers specially brought from Sri Nandgaon and padas of Basant are joyously sung in the evening.

28th Janaury, 2012: Saraswati Puja

Goddess Saraswati
It is is a Hindu festival celebrating Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, music and art is celebrated every year on the panchami or fifth of Magh (January-February), the first day of spring. Traditionally during this festival children are taught to write their first words; brahmins are fed; ancestor worship (Pitr-tarpan) is performed; Kamdev, the god of love, is worshipped; and most educational institutions organise special prayers for Ma Saraswati. Notebooks, pencils and pens are kept at the Devi's feet for blessings and used by the students thereafter.

Ma Saraswati is the goddes of academics and arts. Everyone prays to her for guidance and knowledge for which the Saraswati Vandana Mantra is recited by her devotees on Sarawati Puja and every morning.

The Saraswati Vandana Mantra:


Yaa Kundendu tushaara haara-dhavalaa,Yaa shubhra-vastra'avritaa |

Yaa veena-vara-danda-manditakara,Yaa shweta padma'asana ||

Yaa brahma'achyuta shankara prabhritibhir Devai-sadaa Vanditaa |

Saa Maam Paatu Saraswati Bhagavatee Nihshesha jaadyaa-pahaa ||


The one who is fair like the jasmine blossom, the moon and a garland of tushar flowers, and the one who is decked in radiant white clothes.

She whose hands are adorned by the most excellent veena, and the one who is seated on the pristine white lotus.

The one whose glories are constantly sung by Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh and other primary gods.

O Mother Bhagwati Saraswati get rid of my sluggish mental inertness.


Thought for the New Year, 2012:

Saint Usha ji Fondly Known as Bobo
Saint Ushaji or Boboji would say "Please Thakurji with your reverential belief and religious devotion to such an extent that he holds your hand Himself just like bhakta Prahlada. Then there is no need to worry whether one is flung into the fire or told that God is present in the pillar because bhakta Prahlada was secure in the lap of Narsing Bhagwan.

Bhakta Prahlada Gets the Blessings of Narsingh Bhagwan
Let us respectfully salute Lord Sri Hari who shows parental kindliness to his own devotees, because of which new mysteries of bhakti (religious devotion), gyan (understanding of the identity of the self with the ultimate brahman and vigyan (acquired knowledge of the world [as distinct from knowledge of brahman acquired by meditation and study]) are revealed everyday.