Unanswerable Questions

The world around me has made me to speculate,

Who will account , absolve and expiate ?

For the slaughter and carnage, destruction and death.

Yes, this is the deadly sway, the venomous face shown by Death.

What misdeed had the innocuous committed?

Was it their fault ? whom have they offended?

Was it because they were a religion, community or caste apart?

Or was it because Destiny's course, they had to part?

Was it because they had lost the right to life?

Or were they abandoned by humanity to strife?

Questions and more unanswered dubiety

Answers are with none but the divinity!

We can but strive, strive and strive..

Till we find the solution, will we survive?

-Lalita Priyaa

This poem is dedicated to the victims of terrorism.. this should have been their rightful say

Significance of Deepavali by Bhagawan Satya Sai Baba

When we inquire into the significance of the Deepavali festival which we are celebrating today, we find that traditionally it is a joyous festival to celebrate the destruction of the demon Narakasura by Sri Krishna. It is only when we first understand the meaning of the Krishna Principle will we be able to understand the significance of the Naraka principle. Krishna is the embodiment of the Five Elements: ether, air, fire, water and earth. He is also the embodiment of five life breaths--Prana, Apana, Samana, Udana and Vyana. "Kleem.Krishnaaya-Govindaaya-Gopijanavallabhaaya Swaah." This mantra contains the essence of the Bhagavatha. The five names represent the Five Pranas (vital airs). Kleem refers to the earth. Krishnaaya refers to water. Govindaaya refers to Agni (the Fire-God). Gopijanavallabhaaya refers to Vayu (Air). Swaah refers to ether.
When we recognize that the Divine is immanent in the five elements, we will realize that there is no place in the cosmos where these five are not present. The human body is composed of the five elements. These elements, because they constitute the body, can affect only the body but cannot affect the Atma in any way.
In commenting on the Krishna story in the Bhagavatha, many writers have indulged in all kinds of misinterpretations. One such misinterpretation relates to Krishna's wives.
Misinterpretation of Bhagavatham
In the human body, there are what are called Shadchakras--six spiritual centers. Of these, the two most important are: the Hridayachakra (the Heart Center) and the Sahasraara (the thousand petalled center). The Hridayachakra is also known as the Hridayakamala (Lotus of the Heart) and the Sahasraara is called the Thousand-Petalled Lotus. The lotus of the heart has eight petals. These eight petals symbolize the eight worlds, the eight directions, the eight guardians of the world, the eight bhutas (spirits) and the eight parts of the earth. Because Krishna was the lord of these eight petals, He was described as the husband of eight queens. The master is called Pathi and those under him are described as wives. This is a symbolic relationship and not a husband-wife relationship in the worldly sense. It is because the esoteric significance of these relationships was not properly understood, the Bhagavatham came in for misinterpretation.
It is also stated that Krishna was wedded to 16000 gopikas. Who are these gopikas? They are not cowherdesses in physical form. In the human head there is a lotus with a thousand petals. The Lord is described as the embodiment of the 16 kalas. As the Lord of the Sahasraara (thousand-petalled lotus), He presides over the 16,000 kalas which are present in this lotus. The Kundalini Sakti, which starts at the bottom of the spinal column (Mooladhaara), rises and merges with the 16,000 entities in the Sahasraara. This is the esoteric significance and the meaning of the role of the Divine within the body. Oblivious to this inner meaning, people indulge in misinterpretations and perverse expositions.
Krishna's encounter with the demon Naraka has to be understood against this background. "Nara-ka" means one who is opposed to the Atma. Naraka does not mean a demon. It is the name of the satellite which revolved round the earth. When people were filled with apprehension about the threat to the earth from this satellite, when it seemed to be approaching the earth, Krishna removed their fear by destroying the satellite.
Deepavali commemorates Krishna's victory
Dangers from the planets are apprehended from time to time. For instance, some years ago, people expected great danger to the world from the combination of the "Ashtagraha" (eight planets). Five thousand years ago people dreaded the approach of a planet near to the earth. To allay their fears, Krishna came to their rescue and averted the impending danger. The celebration of Deepavali as the day of deliverance from Narakasura commemorates Krishna's victory. The day is observed as an occasion when the Divine leads mankind from darkness to light.
The legendary version of the Narakasura episode describes the demon as master of Praagjyothishapura. The symbolic meaning of Praagjyothishapura is that it is a place which has forgotten the Atma. The inner meaning of this is that demonic forces dwell in any place where the Atma is forgotten. All the chaos and evil in the world today are due to the fact that men have forgotten the Atma (the Supreme Spirit). Every man is conscious of the body and of the individual soul, but is not conscious of the Paramatma (Divinity) within him.
. . .
On Deepavali day, we light numerous lamps with one candle. The light with which other lamps are lit is a Symbol of the Divine. The other lamps are Jivanajyothis (individual lamps). They derive their light from the One Supreme Light. It is to teach this truth to men that the Festival of Lights is observed.
According to the legend, Krishna killed Narakasura with the help of Sathyabhama. What does this signify? Each of us has to fight and destroy the demonic forces within each by resorting to Sathya (Truth). "Sathyameva Jayathe' declares the Upanishad (Truth alone triumphs). "Speak the Truth" is a Vedic injunction. Once the Goddess of the Earth went to Vishnu and lamented that she can bear any kind of burden but not the burden of carrying those indulging in falsehood. One must be prepared to make any kind of sacrifice for upholding Truth. That is the lesson taught by Harischandra, who sacrificed his kingdom, wife and son, for the sake of the pledged word. He stands out as the supreme upholder of Truth.
Everyone should endeavor to adhere to Truth. Truth is God. With faith in God and adherence to Truth, all demonic forces can be vanquished.

The Secret of Sri Vidya Upasana

Hello People,

I have been fortunate enough to be reading about Srividya Upasana of late... Ever since the siddhi of my guru, Sri. Pinaiyur P.N.Narayana SAstrigal.. everything has been a roller coaster ride.. I tried to reason with Amba that my education in Spirituality was far from complete and "guru mama" cannot apparently leave me in dark like this... i realised that this world was full of so many subtle things that one cannot but help to bow down to our venerable forefathers, who have been giving us insights about the "true world" with many of their commentatories, texts and puzzles... and so i reasoned it out that my journey into the spiritual world has only started and just like all the subtle things in this world... my guru is with me in subtle form...

The very day the mortal coil of my guru was cremated.. I was inspired to learn more about the rich legacy of my guru; besides one can really say that i woke up to many things that day... and thankfully, i made friends with some of guru mama's other disciples who are more or less of "my generation".... and i can really say my guru is teaching me things through them. One of them, is now a good friend of mine.. Only Amba knows how a person can listen to all the questions i pose and reply to them with an equivalent amount of patience. And the result, I was given a lot of things to know, by way of websites, references to books and ofcourse, by word of mouth... and what i found out, during the course of my research, has left me more than dumbstruck, call it moonstruck or lightning struck... whatever.. i'm still pinching myself to believe that what i read was the truth.. and it ultimately turns out to be the most complex yet simple truth...paradox, eh??

The Traditions of Sri Vidya

Well, to begin with... there are four traditions known till date in the Shakta Philosophy. They are Samayacharam, Dakshinacharam, Kaulaacharam and Vamacharam. Of these, Samayacharam and Dakshinacharam are the "safest" methods, and strictly adhere to Vedic methods of worship. They focus more on the idols of Amba, the Sri Chakram et al... thus worshipping the macrocosm as something external to oneself. Vamacharam and Kaulacharam are purely tantric methods, and often use modes of worship that may not be entirely sanctioned by the Vedas. Vamacharam may involve "frightening" practices, but it mainly focuses Amba as the Kundalini Shakti ( all the other methods do the same, but vamacharam does it very noticeably). It compulsorily requires guidance and supervision. It might be the most easy rewarding than all the other modes of worship , its like the atomic power.... if it reaches the wrong hands, it is like giving the world's most dangerous atom bomb to the terrorist who's in search of it.

Kaulaacharam in turn, is characterised by the panchamakaras. And this is what my friend explained to me about the panchamakaras :

" The panchamakara (five "m"s) are maithuna (intercourse), madya (liquor), mudra (bean), mamsa (flesh) and matsya (fish). They form part of a rite performed by those of the class called Viras (heroes). According to the tradition, practitioners fall into three classes: divya (divine), vira (heroic) and pashu (beastlike).kaula marga is fully tantric...altho in practice ppl use subsitutes for the 5ms

me: wat are the substitutes?

like they use ginger for matsya/mamsa, grape juice (draksha rasam) for wine , flower for maithuna...few do use the absolute forms... the philosophy behind it is conceptual and wen that is understood no need of anythg...jus the bhavana wud do.... using the 5ms or not using them is based on sampradaya practice.... the vedas dont insist on them"

Tantric Methods do seem completely crazy and for the common man its highly misleading... for any commoner, the panchamakaras would seem to be the greatest vices prevailing in the society.. but these methods require great amount of focus into the philosophy behind them than the rituals themselves. Once you get distracted or disillusioned while following the practices involved, the entire procedure may mean nothing at all. Now to summarise Kaula Marga in one line : the panchamakaras are performed with the bhavana that the person or people involved is Amba herself, and the Cosmic form is being looked at in a microcosmic manner, that is in the other person. In more plain words, it means that all the rituals here are performed , with the philosophy that Amba is present in oneself , and the rituals are being offered as service to the goddess... When this feeling is not there.. the divinity is completely lost ,or to be more plain, it is mere waste. But once the practioner realises the philosophy behind Kaula Marga, it becomes more internal than external, kaula in a later stage proceeds to become more samaya or dakshina.

What do the Traditions mean?

So here comes the ultimate question... what are these traditions yelling out so hoarse that even though the truth is all around us.. we don't identify ourselves to it?

Well.. let me tell you one truth here, religion is only the means to reach the truth... and all religions convey only one truth, " THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE IS WITHIN YOU".... There have been people who misunderstood religion to the worst possible extent, the result is what we see all around us : bloodshed.

So I am just going to elaborate how SriVidya Upasana expounds this truth...

So what is it??

Bhavanopanishad, one of the 108 upanishads, specialises in Shakta Philosophy. It's 37 verses long and explains how the entire universe can be realised in one's mortal sheath. It talks of four oceans in the body which are the four goals in a man's life ( Dharma, Artha Kama, Moksha), the nine chakras ( energy centres) being the support of all universe and The Muladhara being the base from which everything arises. It speaks how the knower of knowledge, the knowledge itself and the student who learns the knowledge aren't different and the realisation of this fact is nothing but the worship of the Sri Chakra or the supreme Goddess Lalita herself.

Saints have always left us with cryptic poems which talk about the secret of Kundalini Shakti which is lying dormant in every human being. Its described as lying in the form of a snake , coiling itself three and a half times, going around the waist ( Manipura),the chest (Anahata) and the neck ( Vishuddhi) energy centres. The realisation of this energy is not an easy job. It requires a great amount of practice accompanied by guidance.. if the procedure involved is wrong things may go hay wire... because kundalini is to be handled with good amount of care and guidance.

The secret of Sri Vidya Upasana is nothing but the secret of the kundalini awakening. Sri Vidya involves a number of mantras, which are very powerful. Constant repetition of these mantras, recited with concentration on the particular energy centre, slowly awakens the Kundalini. Its an arduous task and cannot happen overnight, for a normal person at least.

When the mantras consisting of the magical syllables, which resonate with the energy centres, occupies the concentration of the practitioner and transforms into meditation, the sadhaka can feel the kundalini rising through the energy centres... When it finally reaches and stays at the Sahasrara Chakra, the entire cosmos is imploded within oneself; This is the state of one-ness, the state wherein the knower of knowledge, the knowledge itself and the learner, are not seperate entities but the one and the same, as mentioned in the Bhavanopanishad.At this stage, the sadhaka enjoys supreme happiness ( paramananda),which is very different from the usual happiness a mortal enjoys, realises the self and finds oneness with the Supreme Being. He thus realises the Goddess Lalita, whom he had been worshipping throughout his life . When he lives in this supreme happiness always, attachment to the mortal sheath and the entire world is shed away and the Sadhaka takes the form of Atma Swarupa.

This is how samayacharam works; initially the mantras and yagnas are used, which slowly transforms into meditation and silence and finally into realisation of the supreme goddess.

Kaula Marga in turn, recommends the absolute forms of panchamakaras, which are offered as service to the Goddess.

Kaula Marga provides guidance to the awakening of Kundalini through Maithuna. The reproductive energy is nothing but Kundalini... and arousing it through Maithuna, and make the kundalini shakti to reach the Sahasrara, which results in supreme happiness ( in modern parlance, the climax) is realisation of the Goddess.

Vamacharam uses tantric methods to arouse the Kundalini. This might be "dangerous" and includes many rituals that may be alien to any culture. But ultimately, the goal is accomplished. Kaula and Vama are known to yield quick results, but I would like to stress the fact that the notion behind the rituals ( Bhava) is the soul of all the procedures.

Thus Shakta itself provides four ways through which one can attain the Goddess Lalita Mahatripurasundari. The realisation of the fact that the entire universe in within oneself and living with this consciousness, liberalises us, provides Moksha and the Sadhaka becomes a Jeevan Mukta.

With this basic idea in mind, if we move on to read all the philosophies propagated throughout the world, we might find that all religions speak of this truth, and the fact that they are not different ideologies, but just the million ways through which the Supreme Being can be realised.Ahem, this can just make this world a beautiful place!

-Lalita Priyaa

Biography of Guru Mama

"Bharatavarsha", India as it was known in its earlier days, is the Spiritual Capital of the world, and is embellished by sacred rivers,sacred mountain ranges and sacred cities. Bharatavarsha has nourished many great souls, whose name and fame still echo through its people's ears. We are fortunate enough to have been born in this revered land.


Birth:

The River Paalaru, originating from Mysore confluences along with the rivers Cheyyaaru and Vegavati. Such a confluence is referred to as "Triveni Sangamam". The confluence flows through the Seevaram Hill and the sacred Pinaayur Hill. The village Pinaayur lies in the southern bank of Paalaru.Pinaayur has sizeable population as well as abundant natural resources that make it quite prosperous.

Our guru Sri Narayana Sastrigal was born into the most illustrious family of the place. Sri Narayana Sastrigal was the third son of Sri Nageswara Sastrigal and Srimati Gnanambal, the grandson of Sri Subramanya Sastrigal and great grandson of Sri Kicchu Vadhyar.

Childhood:

He completed his formal education till standard twelve in the local school and the high school in the nearby town. Since he couldn't afford higher education, he took efforts to have his upanayanam performed and then joined the Veda Paatashala in the Lingappaiyyar Street in Kanchipuram, he continued his study in Kalahasti and thus his study of the Vedas was completed.

Education:

He had also learnt Sanskrit from Sri Thiruvenkatachari, the village sanskrit scholar. He also learnt the various Shastras, Jyotisham, Dharma Shastram et al from many illustrious people like Sengalipuram Sri Anantharama Dikshithar, Kallidaikurichi Sri Phutarjuna Sarma,Pinaayur Sri Sheshagiri Dikshithar, Kandamangalam Sri Balasubramaniam, Mahamahopadhyaya Noorani Sri Ananthakrishna Sastrigal.

He was intiated into Mantra Shastram by Postmaster Sri Viswanatha Iyer, Ujjain Sri Ramachandra Swamigal, Sri P.N.Ramanatha Shastrigal also known as Sri Karunananda.

Thus by Amba's grace, he became adept in various Shastras.
He worked as Shastra Upadhyaya in various Veda Patashalas in Chengalpattu, Vizhupuram, and West Mambalam in Chennai. Possibly it was during this period that he attained purascharana of all the mantras into which he was initiated.

An account of some Divine Experiences in Sri Guru's Life:

1) More than half a century ago, when Guru Mama was about 40 years of age, he went to Badrinath with four of his disciples. Badrinath did not have a commutable road in those days and devotees had to walk a strenously long and difficult path full of rocks. At many places , enroute to the shrine, there were valleys that were about 400 feet deep . These paths were so tricky that if one slipped, one can be sure that he won't survive. And, Guru Mama abstained from the use of foot wear also. Guru Mama wanted to have a dip in the holy river Alakananda at Badrinath . The water was supposed to be icy cold and the river was very rough. Some people advised Guru Mama to not enter into the river. He paid no heed and proceeded with his plan, and finally when he was out of the water, it took about thirty minutes for him to return back to normal health conditions.Guru Mama and his four disciples started coming down to the plains through the rugged path. Generally speaking, as one climbs down frm the hill, the tendency to slip is greater and as guru mama didn't resort to cover his feet he had to be more careful. So he requested all his disciples to walk down together with him. However they all seperated as they preferred walking down by themselves. When only one of the disciples was left, he requested the disciple to accompany him, but that was also not to happen as after sometime, he also proceeded down fast and left Sri Guru behind.

Apparently soon after, Guru Mama slipped, and found that his head was hanging down below with his two feet on the top. He also could feel that someone was holding his feet, preventing him from going down into the valley.

After a few minutues, he found himself sitting in a road, trying to recover from the shock. He could also hear a voice coming from within, which said, " COME ON, GET UP, GO AHEAD".

Guru Mama summed up the Miracle, telling,"When none is by my side, Ambaal comes to my rescue".

2)Guru Mama himself mentioned another event. Once he was drowned while taking bath in the village tank. None was nearby him to get him out to safety. However he found that someone had rescued him and brought him back to the shore. After recovering from the shock, when he searched for the person who saved him, he could not find any body nearby.

( will be updated..)

Sri P.N.Narayana Sastrigal

श्री गुरुभ्यो नमः

महात्मनाम् दर्शनं उत्तमं स्यात्
महात्म वाक्यं श्रवणं वरं स्यात्
श्रेष्ठ: भवेत् साधू गुण अनुवाद:
स्लाघ्य: भवेत् साधू समागम: अपि
It is good to behold the great souls,
It is even greater to listen to their speeches;
It is best to keep talking about the merits of the great souls,
It is even greater to always be with them.
- Avvaiyar, Nalvazhi
To an average person the above words might be one of those speeches, which may yell themselves hoarse. But this may not be true.
Our lives have never been the same, and the world too. Every person, though he may not admit it, needs solace; a bright effulging light to show him the way through the most darkest phases in life and otherwise. Thus, every soul, knowingly or unknowingly, is in need of , in crude terms, a guide. Or to be more precise, a preceptor or guru.
This blog is dedicated to our guru, Brahma Sri P.N.Narayana Sastrigal, the bright light guiding us through the ocean of life.

नारायण स्मृति