pUrNamadah pUrNamidam...Krishna Prema .... Divine love

[Guest guest]

Thank you nairji !

 

Yes , you mother has done a great job of raising her sons ... ( Rajan

and Narendra )

 

My salutations to her .

 

Janani Janmabhoomicha Swargatapi Gariyasi

 

mother and motherland are dearer than heaven

 

it is now my pleasure to bring to you an excerpt from shri

Ramakrishna'S Kathamritham on the 'devotion' of gopis towards

Krishna .

 

"At the request of Krishna, Uddhava had gone to Vrindavan to console

the cowherds and the gopis, who were sore at heart because of their

separation from their beloved Krishna.

 

The kathak said:

 

When Uddhava arrived at Vrindavan, the gopis and cowherd boys ran

to him eagerly and asked him: "How is our Krishna? Has He forgotten

us altogether? Doesn't He even speak our names?" So saying, some of

them wept. Others accompanied him to various places in Vrindavan

still filled with Krishna's sweet memory. They said: "Here it was

that Krishna lifted up Mount Govardhan, and here He killed the demons

sent by the evil-minded Kamsa. In this meadow He tended His cows;

here on the bank of the Jamuna He sported with the gopis. Here He

played with the cowherd boys, and here in the groves He met the gopis

secretly." Uddhava said to them: "Why are you so grief-stricken at

Krishna's absence? He resides in all beings as their indwelling

Spirit. He is God Himself, and nothing can exist without God.But",

said the gopis, "we do not understand all that. We can neither read

nor write. We know only our Krishna of Vrindavan, who played with us

here in so many ways." Uddhava said: "Krishna is God Himself. By

meditating on Him, man escapes from birth and death in the world and

attains liberation." The gopis said: "We do not understand big words

like liberation. We want to see the Krishna of our hearts."

 

The Master listened to the story from the Bhagavata with great

attention and said at last, "Yes, the gopis were right."

 

Then he sang:

 

Though I am never loath to grant salvation (the song represents

Krishna's words),

I hesitate indeed to grant pure love.

Whoever wins pure love surpasses all;

He is adored by men;

He triumphs over the three worlds.

 

Listen, Chandravali (one of the Gopis of Vrindavan)! I shall tell you

of love:

Mukti a man may gain, but rare is bhakti.

Solely for pure love's sake did I become

King Vali's door-keeper

Down in his realm in the nether world.

 

(An allusion to the story of Vali, narrated in the Purana. He was

punished by the Lord for his excessive charity and was condemned to

rule over the nether world. But he succeeded in extracting from the

Lord the boon that He would be his door-keeper.)

 

Alone in Vrindavan can pure love found;

Its secret none but the gopas and gopis know.

For pure love's sake I dwelt in Nanda's house;

Taking him as My father,

I carried his burdens on My head.

 

Characteristics of divine love

 

The Master says ...

 

"The gopis had ecstatic love, unswerving and single-minded devotion

to one ideal. Do you know the meaning of devotion that is not loyal

to one ideal? It is devotion tinged with intellectual knowledge. It

makes one feel: 'Krishna has become all these. He alone is the

Supreme Brahman. He is Rama, Siva and Sakti.' But this element of

knowledge is not present in ecstatic love of God. Once Hanuman came

to Dwaraka and wanted to see Sita and Rama. Krishna said to Rukmini,

His queen, 'You had better assume the form of Sita; otherwise there

will be no escape from the hands of Hanuman (because Rama and Sita

were Hanuman's Chosen Ideals).'

 

Drown in the ecstatic love of Krishna -prema !

 

Govindam adi purusham aham bajami!

[Guest guest]

Namaste Adiji and Sunderji.

 

Shri Narendran has replied you both as quoted here below:

 

QUOTE

 

Many thanks for your message and for forwarding all those wonderful

messages

from Sunderji and other bhakthas. Much as I appreciate your

invitation

to

join the "Advaitin" group, for reasons already made clear to you, I

will be

grateful to be allowed to remain as a non-member and appreciate your

beautiful elaboration of advaita philosophy on the web.

 

Sunderji's suggestion on Japa yagna is valuable indeed. May Lord

give

all

of us the consistency required to perform this yagna to His

satisfaction.

 

It would indeed be a pleasure to read the articles on vairagya

shatakam

and

nirvana shatakam, if you could let me know the advaitin reference

numbers of

these messages.

 

I must confess that I have not read Prabhoda Sudhakaram so far. I

will

look

for this book when I am in India next time on leave.

 

Let me also make one thing clear. I do not want to differentiate

between

Bhakthi and GnAna. Bhakthi is nothing but the love for GnAna (the

realisation of Truth). I think most people differentiate between

Bhakthi

and GnAna, only because they confuse GnAna, the realisation of one

and

only

Truth with knowledge of scriptures. Again this is not to discount

the

importance of the scriptures, but mere knowledge of scriptures need

not

necessarily lead one to the realisation of Truth. When the non-

duality

of

Truth is realised purity of heart naturally follows as one sees

everything

including oneself as part of that Truth. The praise of Truth that

emerges

from that purity of heart is Bhakthi. Karmas of such a person will

not

naturally stray from the path of Dharma and karmayoga will become his

natural conduct. Here lies the integration of the three forms of YOga

that

GItha prescribes. KarmayOga is submission of senses and physical

activites

to the Truth, BhakthiyOga is turning the mind with full of love

towards

the

Truth and JnAnayoga is the intellectual submission to the Truth.

How

can

anyone with body, mind and intellect stay attached to only one form

of

yOga

and neglect the other two. The differentiation is only for the

convenience

of the devotee, so that one can choose the path which is most

convenient to

him/her depending upon the dominance of physical, mental or

intellectual

activities of the person.

 

Krishna to me is the personification of AtmagnAna (or the knowledge

that the

individual self is Siva - Sivoham). That is why the Vaishnavites

claim

that

Siva is the foremost devotee of Vishnu. Without NArAyana prasAda

Siva

turns

to JIva. From a different angle, only Siva with his full VairAgya is

entitled to NArAyana prasAda. Here comes the importance of VairAgya

or

detachment for NArAyana prasAda.

 

You may note that SankarAchArya SwAmigal in the SivAnAnda Lahari

praises

Hari as worthy of greatest worship in the following Sloka.

 

BAnathvam Rshbhatvam arddhavapushA BhAryAthvam AryApathE

GhOnithvam SakhithA MrdangavahadhA chEthyAthirUpam dadhau

TvatpAdhE nayanArpanam cha krdhavAn tvatdhEhabhAgO Hari

PUjyAtpUjya eva hi na chEt kO vA thathanyO'dhika:

 

(Oh Lord, the spouse of Arya (PArvathi dEvi) - Lord Hari taking the

various

forms of the state of being BAna at the time of Tripuradhahana, the

state of

being Rshaba (Nandi), the state of being half the body as wife, the

state of

being boar (remember the story where Brahmadeva took the form of a

swan

and

Vishnu took the form of a boar to find the head and feet of Lord

Siva),

the

state of being Sakhi (as Mohini after KsheerAbdhimadhana, playing the

Mrdanga during pradohosha period to the Lord's ThAndava and bestowing

the

eye at Thy Feet (remember the story where Vishnu while doing a

SahasranAma

PUja found himself short of one flower and submitted his own third

eye)

and

becoming part of Thy body - if he is not worthy of the greatest

worship

who

else is?

 

Except for an Advaitin as great as AchArya SwAmigal, who else can

write

a

SlOka like the one above bridging all the Indian religious schools of

thought?

 

Look at it from the Saivite angle. Vishnu is only the constant

memory

of

Siva's own Self. All that Siva needs to do for NArAyana's blessings

is

to

remember only one's own true Self. So, is the self great or his own

memory

of himself great? Without self where is the memory of one's own true

form?

How foolish to differentiate between the two. Worship of one leads

to

the

other, regardless of which one worships.

 

As for the DEevi bhakthas, DEvi is the power of the Lord to create,

sustain

and destroy. Is anyone's power different from himself. Therefore,

why

see

DEvi as different from the Lord? But one should know that the power

to

create and destroy can be used to take oneself nearer to the Truth as

well

as to be away from the Truth. That is perhaps the reason for the Hindu

preference to see the Lord as Sustainer rather than Creator or

Destroyer. It

should be noted that for Saivite, the SamharAsakthi of Lord Siva

meditated

upon is more in a sense of detachment from the worldly feelings

(Destroyer

of desires and negative thoughts) and not as Destroyer of the physical

world.So, she is vidhyAvidhyArupini. Worship her as VidhyArupini,

she

takes

you to the Lord. Taken in the wrong sense, the same power of Lord

can

also

lead one away from the Truth to delusions of ego & conflict.

 

Siva is the Self, Vishnu the Chitta, Devi the mind and Brahmadeva the

intellect of the Cosmic consciousness. The unity of all these is the

Advaitic concept. A detached self, pure heart, controlled mind and

intellect devoted to the Lord are all essential components in

realising

the

Truth. To me that is the advaitic concept.

 

UNQUOTE

 

PraNAms.

 

Madathil Nair

[Guest guest]

Thank you nairji for bringing your brother Nrendra's golden words to

this cyber satsangha.

 

Narendraji writes...

 

" Bhakthi is nothing but the love for GnAna (the realisation of

Truth). I think most people differentiate between > Bhakthi

and GnAna, only because they confuse GnAna, the realisation of one

and only Truth with knowledge of scriptures. Again this is not

to discount the importance of the scriptures, but mere knowledge of

scriptures need not necessarily lead one to the realisation of

TTruth. When the non- duality of Truth is realised purity of heart

naturally follows as one sees everything including oneself as part

of that Truth."

 

Thank you so much.

 

He could not have stated it better.

 

There is a famous passage from Brihadaranyaka Upanishads

 

King Yajnavalkya is speaking about what constitutes "true love" to

his wife , MAITREYI, a woman of great wisdom .

 

" Truly it is not for the sake of husband that the husband is dear ,

but for the sake of the SELF .

 

and it is not for the Sake of the wife that the wife is dear, but for

the Sake of the SELF.

 

AND

 

IT is not for the sakee of sons that the sons are dear but for the

sake of sons that the sons are dear but for the sake of the self.

 

Indeed, my beloved Maitreyi, it is the Self that should be seen, the

SELF that should be heard, the SELF that should be reflected upon,

and the SELF that should be known."

 

This knowledge of the Self is the eternal flame that is burning in

the heart of a jnani as well as a bhakta as well as a karma yogi.

 

Nrendraji writes ...

 

That is why the Vaishnavites claim that Siva is the foremost

devotee of Vishnu.

 

True - Siva is the formost devotee of Lord Vishnu. and Vishnu is also

the foremost devotee of Shiva.

 

in the strimad bhagwat gita , chapter 10 , verse 23,

 

lord krishna decalares - "among the Rudras, I aM shiva."

 

There is a story in the puranas how Vishnu got the 'sudarshan chakra'

 

Every day lord vishnu used to offer thousand lotuses to lord shiva

during worship. One day shiva wanted to test vishnu's devotion-

so, Lord Shiva hid one of the lotuses. During worship, Lord Vishnu

discovered that he was one lotus short, in order to complete his

worship, vishnu was about to pluck one of his eyes to offer to lord

shiva, then shiva stopped him and was so pleaed with vishnu's

devotion that shiva named vishnu "padmalochana" -the one

with the lotus eyes- shiva also prsented vishnu with the sudharshan

chakra !

 

If you see the reclining position of Anantha padmanabha swami (

mahavishnu) in any vaishnava temple , his right hand will be offering

Abhisekham to the shiva-linga! Lord vishnu is always contemplating on

shiva in yoga nidra.

 

as far shiva, he is always meditating on Shiva.

 

and as far Parvati, she is always meditating on Shiva.

 

and as far as BRAHMA, SHIVA AND VISHNU are concerned , they are all

under the spell of Devi !

 

Narenderaji observes

 

So, she is vidhyAvidhyArupini. Worship her as VidhyArupini,

she takes you to the Lord.

 

again, nectarean words .

 

Devi herself says in chapter 20 of Tripura rahasya ... (31-40)

 

"I am the abstract intelligence wherefrom the cosmos originates,

whereon it flourishes, and wherein it resolves, like the images in a

mirror. The ignorant know me as the gross universe, whereas the wise

feel me as their own pure being eternally glowing as 'I-I' within.

This realisation is possible only in the deep stillness of thought-

free consciousness similar to that of the deep sea free from waves.

The most earnest of devotees worship me spontaneously and with the

greatest sincerity which is due to their love of me. Although they

know that I am their own non-dual Self, yet the habit of loving

devotion which is deep-rooted in them makes them conceive their own

Self as ME and worship ME as the life-current pervading their bodies,

senses and mind without which nothing could exist and which forms the

sole purport of the holy scriptures. Such is my Transcendental State.

 

"My concrete form is the eternal couple - the Supreme Lord and

Energy - always in undivided union and abiding as the eternal

consciousness pervading the three phenomenal states of waking, dream

and sleep, and reclining on the cot whose four legs are Brahma (the

Creator), Vishnu (the Protector), Siva (the Destroyer) and Isvara

(Disappearance) and whose surface is Sadasiva (Grace) which is

contained in the mansion known as 'fulfilment of purpose' enclosed by

the garden of 'Kadamba' trees in the jewel island situated in the

wide ocean of nectar surrounding the cosmos and extending beyond.

 

'Brahma, Vishnu, Siva, Isvara, Sadasiva, Ganesa, Skanda, the gods of

the eight quarters, their energies of her gods, celestials, serpents

and other superhuman beings all manifestations of myself. However,

people do not know ME because their intellect is shrouded in

ignorance."

 

Yes, Lalitha Devi is atma-vidya!

 

Lalitha Devi is maha-vidya !

 

Lalitha devi is brahma-vidya !

 

finally,

 

This

 

" Siva is the Self, Vishnu the Chitta, Devi the mind and Brahmadeva

the intellect of the Cosmic consciousness. The unity of all these is

the Advaitic concept. "

 

on this note, i take leave

 

many thanks to narendraji !

 

Hari Aum Tat sat!

[Guest guest]

oops!

 

forgive the error!

 

it should read ,

 

as far Shiva, he is always meditating on Vishnu

 

and not as far Shiva, he is always meditating on shiva .

 

advaitin, "adi_shakthi16" <adi_shakthi16>

wrote:

> Thank you nairji for bringing your brother Nrendra's golden words

to

> this cyber satsangha.

>

> Narendraji writes...

>

> " Bhakthi is nothing but the love for GnAna (the realisation of

> Truth). I think most people differentiate between > Bhakthi

> and GnAna, only because they confuse GnAna, the realisation of one

> and only Truth with knowledge of scriptures. Again this is not

> to discount the importance of the scriptures, but mere knowledge

of

> scriptures need not necessarily lead one to the realisation of

> TTruth. When the non- duality of Truth is realised purity of

heart

> naturally follows as one sees everything including oneself as

part

> of that Truth."

>

> Thank you so much.

>

> He could not have stated it better.

>

> There is a famous passage from Brihadaranyaka Upanishads

>

> King Yajnavalkya is speaking about what constitutes "true love" to

> his wife , MAITREYI, a woman of great wisdom .

>

> " Truly it is not for the sake of husband that the husband is

dear ,

> but for the sake of the SELF .

>

> and it is not for the Sake of the wife that the wife is dear, but

for

> the Sake of the SELF.

>

> AND

>

> IT is not for the sakee of sons that the sons are dear but for the

> sake of sons that the sons are dear but for the sake of the self.

>

> Indeed, my beloved Maitreyi, it is the Self that should be seen, the

> SELF that should be heard, the SELF that should be reflected upon,

> and the SELF that should be known."

>

> This knowledge of the Self is the eternal flame that is burning in

> the heart of a jnani as well as a bhakta as well as a karma yogi.

>

> Nrendraji writes ...

>

> That is why the Vaishnavites claim that Siva is the foremost

> devotee of Vishnu.

>

> True - Siva is the formost devotee of Lord Vishnu. and Vishnu is

also

> the foremost devotee of Shiva.

>

> in the strimad bhagwat gita , chapter 10 , verse 23,

>

> lord krishna decalares - "among the Rudras, I aM shiva."

>

> There is a story in the puranas how Vishnu got the 'sudarshan

chakra'

>

> Every day lord vishnu used to offer thousand lotuses to lord shiva

> during worship. One day shiva wanted to test vishnu's devotion-

> so, Lord Shiva hid one of the lotuses. During worship, Lord Vishnu

> discovered that he was one lotus short, in order to complete his

> worship, vishnu was about to pluck one of his eyes to offer to lord

> shiva, then shiva stopped him and was so pleaed with vishnu's

> devotion that shiva named vishnu "padmalochana" -the one

> with the lotus eyes- shiva also prsented vishnu with the sudharshan

> chakra !

>

> If you see the reclining position of Anantha padmanabha swami (

> mahavishnu) in any vaishnava temple , his right hand will be

offering

> Abhisekham to the shiva-linga! Lord vishnu is always contemplating

on

> shiva in yoga nidra.

>

> as far shiva, he is always meditating on Shiva.

>

> and as far Parvati, she is always meditating on Shiva.

>

> and as far as BRAHMA, SHIVA AND VISHNU are concerned , they are all

> under the spell of Devi !

>

> Narenderaji observes

>

> So, she is vidhyAvidhyArupini. Worship her as VidhyArupini,

> she takes you to the Lord.

>

> again, nectarean words .

>

> Devi herself says in chapter 20 of Tripura rahasya ... (31-40)

>

> "I am the abstract intelligence wherefrom the cosmos originates,

> whereon it flourishes, and wherein it resolves, like the images in

a

> mirror. The ignorant know me as the gross universe, whereas the

wise

> feel me as their own pure being eternally glowing as 'I-I' within.

> This realisation is possible only in the deep stillness of thought-

> free consciousness similar to that of the deep sea free from waves.

> The most earnest of devotees worship me spontaneously and with the

> greatest sincerity which is due to their love of me. Although they

> know that I am their own non-dual Self, yet the habit of loving

> devotion which is deep-rooted in them makes them conceive their own

> Self as ME and worship ME as the life-current pervading their

bodies,

> senses and mind without which nothing could exist and which forms

the

> sole purport of the holy scriptures. Such is my Transcendental

State.

>

> "My concrete form is the eternal couple - the Supreme Lord and

> Energy - always in undivided union and abiding as the eternal

> consciousness pervading the three phenomenal states of waking,

dream

> and sleep, and reclining on the cot whose four legs are Brahma (the

> Creator), Vishnu (the Protector), Siva (the Destroyer) and Isvara

> (Disappearance) and whose surface is Sadasiva (Grace) which is

> contained in the mansion known as 'fulfilment of purpose' enclosed

by

> the garden of 'Kadamba' trees in the jewel island situated in the

> wide ocean of nectar surrounding the cosmos and extending beyond.

>

> 'Brahma, Vishnu, Siva, Isvara, Sadasiva, Ganesa, Skanda, the gods

of

> the eight quarters, their energies of her gods, celestials,

serpents

> and other superhuman beings all manifestations of myself. However,

> people do not know ME because their intellect is shrouded in

> ignorance."

>

> Yes, Lalitha Devi is atma-vidya!

>

> Lalitha Devi is maha-vidya !

>

> Lalitha devi is brahma-vidya !

>

> finally,

>

> This

>

> " Siva is the Self, Vishnu the Chitta, Devi the mind and Brahmadeva

> the intellect of the Cosmic consciousness. The unity of all these

is

> the Advaitic concept. "

>

> on this note, i take leave

>

> many thanks to narendraji !

>

> Hari Aum Tat sat!