Stotram and doubt

[Guest guest]

Namaskarams!

 

Thanks Shree for the "rare" maruthi stotram. I got

the exact Sanskrit version from

ftp://jaguar.cs.utah.edu/private/sanskrit/marathi/bhiima.gif.

 

I came across a slokam on sanIswaran (source unknown); it is said to be

composed by King daSaratha. DaSaratha, on learning that he and his country are

going to be afflicted by sani for seven and a half years, attempts to go and

fight with sani, who is surprised to find someone who is ready to fight with

him without being scared. A pleased sani offers to give a boon to daSaratha,

who praises him with the slokam beginning with "nama: krshNAya nIlAya".

Sani is even more pleased and agrees not to harm his people for the

seven and a half years (as requested by daSaratha). He grants an additional

boon saying he will not harm anyone who chants this slokam composed by

daSaratha.

 

Ever since I joined the bhakti list, I have stopped chanting the

individual navagraham slokams (in a more SrI vaishNavaite spirit)

and have been chanting only the two slokams on navagraham ("kanakarucirA

kAvyAkyAdA" and "rAmAvatAra:" composed by swAmi dESikan).

 

I know that my (very srIvaishNavaite) aunt never used to even partake the

tIrtham given in individual Anjaneyar temples (she would take it if it is a

rAma temple). On the other hand, I am told that praying to AnjanEya will

ward off the evil effects from sani.

 

I understand that once you do prapatti to perumal, you do not have to

worry about praying to other gods for mundane reasons.

 

But, is it wrong if you say slokams for hanumAn or sani if you are

afflicted by sani (even though in your heart of hearts, you have pledged

allegiance to perumal)? (One argument in favor of pleasing grahams that

give bad effects was given by a priest (saivaite) here: when you see a duSHTA,

why not put a "kumbidu" and stay out of way).

 

I am sorry if I am starting some issue for discussion if it has already

been discussed earlier. This is just as a result of my "stupid" doubt/s.

 

adiyEn,

 

Kalyani Krishnamachari

[Guest guest]

At 02:23 PM 1/19/98 -0600, Kalyani Krishnamachari wrote:

>Namaskarams!

>

>I understand that once you do prapatti to perumal, you do not have to

>worry about praying to other gods for mundane reasons.

>

>But, is it wrong if you say slokams for hanumAn or sani if you are

>afflicted by sani (even though in your heart of hearts, you have pledged

>allegiance to perumal)?

 

 

This question is a very valid one. Particularly when a person gets

afflicted and a trustworthy friend says that this is due to "sani- dasha"

in the horoscope or some such thing, it is normal for anyone in such a

situation to start chanting a stotra to please any diety whoever that may

be to get rid of the calamity. I have heard some cases where vaishnavas

belonging to very orthodox kulams have said that "my kid is so sick that I

dont care; being a mother how can I just sit quiet without protecting my

kid with whatever means I have in front of me. I will go to Karumari Amman

koil and do some vratam to ensure the safety of my kid who is sick with

smallpox or measles".

 

All these issues though very trying have to be resolved in a sastraic way

as adviced by our acharyas if one trusts them whole heartedly.

 

traiyyantaih ekakantaih tadanugunamanu vyasa mukhyoktibhisca

srimannarayano nah patih akhila tanuh muktido muktibhogyah - paradevatha

paramarthyadhikara - Rahasya Traya Sara

 

All the vedantas and the words of Vyasa and Manu declare with one voice

that "Srimannarayana is our lord and the bearer of this universe as his

body and he is the only giver of Moksha and is the only one who is

experienced in the state of Moksha

 

One who has full faith in this aspect will have no doubt in just trusting

srimannarayana alone for everything in this life and hereafter.

 

It is very clear in the chapter on paradevata paramarthyadhikara of Rahasya

Traya Sara that there is no need to appease anyone else other than

Srimannarayana for any ailment.

 

I did hear of my friend's wife who became an atheist because it seems her

mother prayed to lord Srihari to spare the life of her aged mother

(grandma) and it seems that the prayers were of no avail and grandma passed

away. In general, there is nothing wrong in praying to lord Srihari to

save a life except that a MUMUKSHU (one who seeks release from this

bondage) does not pray to God for anything however important that may be,

other than the lotus feet of srimannarayana. I am sure in this case that

person who prayed for her mother's life was not a mumukshu. But Lord Sri

Hari, if he wishes, will help in whatever situation a person is in.

 

Surely, Lord srimannarayana who is a giver of MOKSHA itself will give

health, wealth and whatever one desires:

 

sarirarogyam arthanshca bhogam schaivanusangikan dadati dyayinam nithyam

apavarga prado harih - vishnu dharma (74-43)

 

But,

 

if a person is marked for some punishment by the lord Srimannarayana whose

will is truth, no one including 4-faced Brahma or Rudra or Indra etc. can

protect that person as indicated in

 

brahma svayambhuh chaturanano va rudrastrinetrah tripurantako va indro

mahendrah sura nayako va tratum na shakyayudhi rama vadhyam -

 

Ramayana sundara kanda - 51-45

 

If Srimannarayana wishes a particular punishment will be given due to past

karmas no one can protect from that will of Lord. This should not drive

anyone to become an atheist. One should think that Srimannarayana knows

what is good for us. After all the bottomline is to attain mumukshatva ie.

release from this existence rather than attaining anything here. If we have

committed some sin that will definitely haunt us someday; a murderer even

here may ask protection by the very president of the country; and still his

plea may be rejected.

 

In essence, it amounts to saying : tvayi rakshati rakshakaih kim anyaih

tvayi cha arakshati rakshakaih kim anyaih - iti nischita dhih srayam

nrihare vegavati tatashrayam tvam

 

- kamasikashtakam ( by Sri Vedanta Desika)

 

meaning : " if you are going to protect, then what is the need of other

protectors; if you are not going to protect, then what is the need for

other protectors!. Having this determination, I try daily O'Nrihare

(Nrisimha) to attain the shores of your protection (from this samsara -

sagara)"

 

this should be our determination regarding faith in srimannarayana.

 

Our Narayana surely gives everything we need even here also, if one wants

other than moksha, Even the other dieties have powers to grant them to

their devotees; and even these powers were given to them by Lord

Srimannarayana: (labhate cha tatah kaman mayaiva vihitaan hi tan - other

diety worshippers attain their desires fulfilled by these dieties as they

were appointed by me to do so)

 

yuga koti sahasrani vishnum aradhya padmabhuh punastrailokya dhatrtvam

praptavan iti sushruma

 

meaning " AFter worshipping Vishnu for a crore yugas it seems Brahma

(4-faced) attained the post of creator again in the next kalpa" -

mahabharata - kundadharopakhyana

 

When even the head of those other dieties had to come to Vishnu to get what

he wanted, why go not go to the root and ask Vishnu for everything we need.

 

******

 

On the otherhand some feel that other dieties give fruits here faster as

said in the Bhagawadgita :

 

kankshantah karmanam siddhim yajante iha devataha

kshipram hi maanushe loke siddhirbhavati karmaja :

 

desiring quick results, some people pray to other dieties and attain those

results quickly;

 

But, getting such quick results have some bad effects; these dieties are

like "nannies" who take care of babies; they give milk or other pacifiers

to just fulfil the needs of babies not realizing that it might be too much

food or ultimately bad to the kid eventhough the kid is crying for it; On

the otherhand just as a mother gives what is ultimately good for the baby

eventhough that is "bitter" for the kid to taste, Lord Srimannarayana will

give anything we want or deny them if found to be not good, so that it will

ultimately not spoil us and finally lead us to the ultimate auspiscious

state of everlasting happiness.

 

The bottomline is everything (including dieties) in this universe is

controlled from within by Srimmannarayana this is the truth of the vedas.

>But, is it wrong if you say slokams for hanumAn or sani if you are

>afflicted by sani (even though in your heart of hearts, you have pledged

>allegiance to perumal)?

 

Referring to the last portion of this question, I feel that one can never

have allegiance to perumal truly and still think that someone else like

Sani will protect them and even for a moment choose to utter a stotra in

praise of Shani disregarding Lord Srimannarayana the real trusted LORD in

the heart of hearts!

 

Dasharatha might have prayed to Sani (I dont know whether this is in

Valmiki Ramayana : please clarify this). This is definitely wrong for an

elevated soul to do. Arjuna though a great person did several things that

were wrong. Hence Dasharatha is no saint to be followed in this aspect.

 

However, in the Katyayani Vratha of Srimadbhagavatham and the similar

episode of Tiruppavai, it is fine to ask anyone to help us attain the lotus

feet of Srimannarayana.

 

>(One argument in favor of pleasing grahams that

>give bad effects was given by a priest (saivaite) here: when you see a

duSHTA,

>why not put a "kumbidu" and stay out of way).

>adiyEn,

>

>Kalyani Krishnamachari

>

This is a nice way to put it. But our Srivaishnava Acharyas do not support

it. Once the inner power of this universe is pleased automatically every

diety gets pleased just as watering the roots of a tree ensures food to the

branches,leaves and flowers. - Srimadbhagavatam

 

There is no need to water the branches separately.

 

One should understand that even this Dushta is ensouled by that same very

srimannarayana and completely controlled by HIM.

 

One, to be a true Srivaishnava has to understand this concept seriously and

have firm conviction in this concept -

 

bhuvi va divi va mamaastu vaso narake va narakantaka prakamam avadhirita

sharadaravindaou sharanam te maranepi chintayami - Sri Kulasekhara Alwar in

mukundamala

 

Let my residence be on the earth or heaven or even in Hell, I will think on

only Srimannarayana's lotus feet even though I am Dying.

 

Adiyen Krishna Kalale