Rama passing through Ayodhya streets - Ayodhya Kandam

King Dasaradha confers with his ministers and people to come to a conclusion that Rama can be crowned a prince. He then requests his minister Sumantra to fetch Rama to inform about the decision. 1

Srimad Ramayanam - Qualities of an ideal guru

Our sAstrAs (Vedas and Upanishads) essentially talk about two things - dharmam and brahmam.

Dharmam is how to conduct oneself in everyday life (foundational elements) which helps in cleansing the mind and would help uplifting 1

gradually to reach brahmam.

As Vedas and Upanishads were complex with lot of nuances, Puranas and ItihAsAs came about to engage with people to talk about the above two.

In this category, Srimad Ramayanam is important as it is considered to be a guide to 2

brahma vidya, i.e., to impart knowledge of brahman. In order to understand an esoteric topic like brahmam, one has to have an ideal guru.

Veda defines the characteristics of an ideal guru with the verse ‘SOtriyam brahma niStam’

SOtriyam - knowledge of sAstrAs which means 3

one must be a vaiDIkA

Brahma niStam - knowledge and personal experience of brahmam

Srimad Ramayanam’s first sloka is as below:

तपःस्वाध्यायनिरतं तपस्वी वाग्विदां वरम्
नारदं परिपप्रच्छ वाल्मीकिर्मुनिपुङ्गवम्

The literal meaning of this sloka is that ascetic Valmiki inquired 4

Narada who is engaged deeply in austerity and study of Vedas, best among the eloquent and eminent among sages.

But, the greatness of this sloka is that it provides 6 qualities for an ideal guru. Let us look at them.

तपःस्वाध्यायनिरतं -

1) तपः tapas - jnAnam someone who 5

Srimad Ramayanam - jnAnam through guru katAkSam

Sabhari mOkSam is an episode in Aranya Kandam which is considered to be mOkSa kAndam.

In my earlier article, I had written about the importance of guru that gets highlighted through the interaction between Bhagawan and Sabhari. 1

Let us look at what that guru katAkSam will do.

Sabhari was a vagabond, who by chance stumbled onto Rishi Mathanga. He found that she’s a clean soul and worthy of being given tAraka brahmam and offered that to her.

Sabhari enquired as to what the name meant. 2

An ideal guru is someone who gives Narayana, and so with Rishi Mathanga being one, he said that the meaning of that name (tAraka brahmam) will find its way to her abode.

When Rama and Lakshmana visited Sabhari’s abode, the former enquired about the progress of her penance 3

and if it materialised.

Sabhari’s jnAnam was complete with Rishi Mathanga’s katAkSam and this reflected in her response to Rama.

She answered intelligently -

aDyaprAptA tapa siDDiH tava sanDarSanAn maya
aDyamE sapalam janma taptam GuruvaSca supUjitA: 4

அத்ய ப்ராப்தா தப சித்திஹி தவ சந்தர்ஷனான் மயா
அத்ய மே சபலம் ஜன்ம தப்தம் குருவஷச்ச ஸுபூஜித:

My tapas materialised upon seeing you. This happened due to guru katAkSam and my sEvA to him who predicted this event in advance.

She further added boldly 5

Rama’s concern on wellbeing of His bhaktas (bhakta aBimAnI)

Once a jIvAtmA does saranagati, Bhagawan takes immense efforts keeps uplifting them until it reaches Him.

Ramayanam consists of guNAs of Rama and Sita that will make the reader get overwhelmed with emotions towards1

Him thereby building Bhakti.

Yesterday, I wrote about how He gave aBaya to Vibishana without questioning.

This is an instance where He cares for their wellbeing.

Rama and his team of vAnarAs have reached Lanka and are in discussions. Similarly, Ravana and his ministers 2

are inspecting their opponents and evaluating their strengths and weaknesses.

Upon seeing Ravana, Sugriva who has become a devout bhakta of Rama, cannot bear the sight of someone who has kidnapped Sita causing immense anguish to his swami (Rama). 3

He leaps in the sky, reaches Ravana and wrestles with him fiercely, causing immense embarrassment in front of his ministers, grabs his crown and places it at Rama’s feet.

Meanwhile, Rama became so concerned as He couldn’t find Sugriva and becomes happy once he’s back.4

இதானீம் மா க்ருதா வீர ஏவம் வித மச்சிந்தித்தம்
த்வயி கிஞ்சித் சமா பன்னே கிம் கார்யம் சீதையா மம

பரதேன மஹா பாக லக்ஷ்மனென யவீயசா
க்ஷத்ருக்னேன ச க்ஷத்ருக்ன ஸ்வஷரீரேன வ புன:

Rama is known for speaking what He really thinks, and doing what He speaks. He never ever makes an 5

Srimad Ramayanam - essence of Yuddha Kandam

Ramayanam can be analysed in multiple dimensions, such as dharma, bhakti etc, as it provides immense insights.

It also has tattvam behind the entire sequence of events and this has been explained by poorvAcAryAs.

There’s a tattvam 1

Behind Yuddha Kandam as well and two episodes reflect this.

Rama being felled by Naga pAsam and by Brahmastra.

In the first instance, Garudazhvan who was observing the fight along with other devas realised that his swami was felled and came to His rescue even without 2

Realising that it’s a stage of Lord Rama and He was performing activities required for His avatar. That was his bhakti and intense need to perform kainkaryam.

In the second instance, when Rama falls down due to brahmastram, Jambhavan asks if Hanuman was alive as he was the 3

Only one who can perform incredible activities, such as bringing medicinal plans from thousands of miles away.

In addition, in entire Ramayanam, Rama had walked in Aranya kandam until He came in contact with Hanuman, upon which Hanuman never let Him walk but carried on his 4

Shoulders all through.

Similarly, garudazhvan carries Perumal with His feet on his palms and enjoys the touch and turn his head to get a look at his beautiful countenance.

Both helped in resurrecting Rama at the time of dire need and He wanted to highlight the bhakti of two 5

Srimad Ramayanam - thAyar greeting rAvanA, different meanings of a single slokA

Vedas are considered apauruSEyam, not made by humans, and therefore cannot be interpreted in any manner. The vEdanta sUtra bASyam has been done by Sri Adi Sankara, Swami Ramanuja and Sri Madhwa 1

On the other hand, itihAsAs and purunAs are made by riSis, but the greatness is that they wrote without diluting the meaning of vEdAs (or Upanishads).

There is lot in them that are dependent on bhakti, which is subjected to bhAvam (or experience). AcAryAs have relished these 2

experiences in Srimad Ramayanam, and one such instance is in Sundara Kandam where thAyAr greets rAvanA when she visits her and places a grass between her and him. She also smiles at his arrogance

The slokA is

तृणमन्तरतः कृत्वा प्रत्युवाच शुचिस्मिता
3

There are bursts of bhAvam for one such slokA.

1) Thayar is used to wearing a veil (gOSA niyamanam) and, hence placed a grass between them.

2) When a person comes to see another person in their place, it’s customary to offer them a seat. As she does not have one, she places
4

grass

3) She’s insinuating that the strength and the valour he displayed is equivalent to that of a grass, meaning nothing.

4) The wealth or the grandeur he displayed pales into insignificance as She was Mahalakshmi, who is the abode of all the wealth in the universe.
5

AGAMA SHASTRA:THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE MARVELS OF HINDU ARCHITECTURE

Agama Shastra is a Sanskrit word that means the manual for worship, temple building, rituals etc in Hindu Tradition.From Sanskrit,agama means handed down by tradition and Shastra means a commentary or treatise.

Therefore, Agama Shastra is a collection of ideas that drafts the rules for worship, temple construction, spirituality and rituals. It has been a guideline for many Hindus from ancient times. It's a collection of Sanskrit, Tamil and Grantha scriptures that mostly contains...

...methods of temple construction, idol creation, philosophical doctrines and meditative practices. It came into being after years of assimiliation and from a variety of sources. Some parts of it are pre-vedic while some are post-vedic.

Hindu Temples are not just temples, they are the pride and identity of Hindus. They are the symbols of Hindu unity and their religious aspirations. Temples are the places of spiritual healing and are our connection with the creator almighty.

Temples are the priceless treasure of our History, Heritage ,Art & Architecture. Architecture that mesmerises and spell bounds you. And Agama Shastra is that very text which is responsible for such a mesmerising and spell binding quality and beauty of our Hindu Temples.

SRI MOOKAMBIKA DEVI, KOLLUR (KAR)

There was an Asura, Kaumasura, who was doing penance to please Shiva and get a boon. To prevent him from asking for a boon, Devi Saraswati made him dumb (hence called Mookasur)
Later, Adi Parashakti slayed him and came to be called Mookambika.

It is said that Adi Shankaracharya had a vision in which Devi agreed to follow him provided he did not look back. He kept walking and was assured of her presence due to the sound of anklets. When he reached here in Kollur, he turned back as the sound of anklets had stopped.

So Devi stayed here and merged with the lingam. The place came to be called Mookambika Kshetram.
The linga has integrated on it’s left side MahaKali, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswathi and on the right side- Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

A swarna rekha (gold line) divides this linga into left and right portion. Adi Shakthi in this Udhbhavlinga form appears only here.
Devi sits in padmasana and has 4 hands.
Adi Shankaracharya installed the Sri Chakra in front of Devi and also composed the Soundarya Lahiri here.

'Treasure Gods' - Sangha Nidhi' and 'Padma Nidhi', Tirumala, Tirupati.

------------------------------------

These are the two guards guarding the Wealth and Treasure of Lord Sri Venkateswara.

They are representatives of two treasures of Kubera, the God of Wealth.

One guard who is holding shangam (conch) on both the hands is known as Shanka Nidhi ('nidhi' means wealth).

On the other side, the guard who is holding Lotus flowers on both the hands is known as Padma nidhi.

Shangu is from the ocean which includes all types of wealth like pearls and corals.

Why shagam in his hand? Because shangam only gives the sound of 'omkaram'.

'Padmam' is the symbol of water sources in land like river, lakes, tanks etc. which is very important for all living beings.

As per the tradition, these guards are installed at the third entrance of the temple.

One enters the holy shrine after saluting the first protection threshold - Sankha Nidhi and Padma Nidhi.

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