SanatkumAra

[Guest guest]

Dear Bhaagavataas,

 

Sri Sadagopan and others have recently written in depth about SanakAdi

brothers and the Jaya-Vijaya episode. In this connexion (albeit not a very

direct connexion!) here's something I read about Sri SanatkumAra in a book

published by Sri RamanAsramamam of ThiruvaNNAmalai. Pardon me if these

points have already been mentioned!

 

He was one of the 4 SanakAdi brothers begotten by Sri BrahmA's will. But

to the surprise of Sri BrahmA, these people were possessed even at birth

of the highest knowledge and vairAgya. For this reason they did

not wish to undertake the agenda of sRshTi that Brahmadev desired of them.

 

Once, when SanatkumAra was immersed in deep meditation on the Formless

Parabrahman, Lord Shiva, pleased with his austerity appreared before him,

requested him to ask for a boon. To which SanatkumAra replied that he had

no desires to fulfilled. He maintained this position inspite Lord Shiva's

repeated entreaties! Finally, Lord Shiva is said to asked the other if

*He* could seek a boon from SanatkumAra, to which the latter gladly

acceded. Lord Shiva expressed the desire that SanatkumAra shd be born as

His son (in anticipation of the future advent of Asuras)! SanatkumAra

agreed, provided he wasn't to be born of a lady since he felt that the

process of involution of a jiiva into an embryo and subsequent

physical birth was very painful (what an important lesson!). For this

reason, when eventually SanatkumAra was born as Skandar (Murugar), He was

born of divine sparks from Shiva's forehead directly, thereby

circumventing the usual physical process of birth.

 

It is believed by many devotees of Sri Ramanar of Arunachala that

Ramana was an avataara of Skandar (e.g, like SanatkumAra and Skanda,

Ramana, unusually even for Sanyaasis, wore a loin cloth (kaupiinam) over

his waist) tho Ramana was by nature very averse to queries that try to

trace out past births etc. (since they are not central to the attainment

of spiritual perfection).

 

As a note on Ramana's practical bent of mind, I might add an insightful

incident that took place. A great Shavaite scholar once asked Ramana how

one was to reconcile the monism of the Vedanta with the dualism of

Siddhaanta tattva. To which, in his characteristic style Ramanar replied:

"Vedaantam-um illai Siddhaantam-um illai, anubhavam ayyA, anubhavam". A

rough translation: "Sir, [these truths are to grasped] not [simply] thru

[the study of] Vedaanta and/or Siddhaanta, but thru direct experience".

 

Please excuse me if u don't find a direct connexion to Lord Hari in the

above account!

 

Hari Om,

Srikanth