Bhakti and Jnana

[Guest guest]

Namaste Satsanghis:

 

Here is an interesting incident that adds lustre to this month's topic: Bhakti

and Jnanam.

 

Sri Chandrasekhara Bharati Mahaswamigal, the 34th Peethadhipathi of the

Sringeri Sharada Peetham, was worshipping the SriChakram, as per the Mutt

tradition. Even now, everyday the SriChakra is devoutly worshipped in the

morning by the Mutt Archaka and on Fridays, during the night puja, the Jagadguru

Himself performs the puja. On one such occasion, a devotee seated in the

assembly, entertained a thought thus: This is a peetham for the propagation of

Advaita Jnanam. And the Sannyasi, the head of the Peetham is engaged in this

ritualistic worship of the SriChakram. What has this worship got to do with the

avowed objective of the Peetham?

 

The puja got over in time and the Acharya emerged from the puja mantapam to go

to His inner quarters. On the way, the devotees stood reverentially

prostrating. When the Acharya came to the place where the above devotee stood,

He stopped and remarked in Tamil: "There is this Nama of Ambal:

Mithyaa-jagad-adhishthaanaayai Namaha. Is this not Vedanta?" and dropped the

prasadam in that devotee's hands and moved on.

 

*****

 

In the Sri Lalithaasahasranamam, this following portion is of a special liking

to me:

 

Bhavaanii Bhaavannaagamyaa Bhavaaranya-kuthaarikaa

Bhadrapriyaa Bhadramuurti: Bhaktasoubhaagyadaayini

Bhaktipriyaa Bhaktigamyaa Bhaktivashyaa Bhayaapahaa

Shambhavii Shaaradaaraadhyaa Sharvaanii Sharmadaayinii

 

From the time I started listening to the stotram rendered by Smt. C. Saroja

and Smt. C.Lalitha in a very enchanting style, this particular portion appealed

to me very much. Bhavaaranya kuthaarikaa means Sri Lalaithaambal is the axe

that cuts away the forest of samsara. And Ambal is Bhaktipriyaa, She can be

Realised by Bhakti, She can be made 'Our own Mother' through Bhakti and She

destroys fear. When I told some friends about this portion and how sweet it is

to recite repeatedly, and its deep significance to Vedanta, they readily liked

it and some of them even told me that they had memorised this portion and recite

it often.

 

Thanks to the Topic of this month, for it enables to dwell on such

soul-stirring anecdotes!!

 

Subbu

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Namaste Shri Subrahmanianji.

 

In fact, I had suggested to our AdiMA that her topic be "Advaita and

LalitA". What a coincidence!

 

You are right the SahasranAmA is full of Advaita. In fact, this

applies to to LalitA TrishatI and all sahasranAmAs and aSTottarIs

available to us. In fact, under this thread, we would do well to come

out with a list of LalitA Parameshwari's names that have immediate

and direct advaitic connotation.

 

PraNAms.

 

Madathil Nair

_______________

 

advaitin, V Subrahmanian

<subrahmanian_v> wrote:

.....When the Acharya came to the place where the above devotee stood,

He stopped and remarked in Tamil: "There is this Nama of Ambal:

Mithyaa-jagad-adhishthaanaayai Namaha. Is this not Vedanta?" and

dropped the prasadam in that devotee's hands and moved on.

[Guest guest]

advaitin, V Subrahmanian

<subrahmanian_v> wrote:

>

> Namaste Satsanghis:

>

> *****

>

> In the Sri Lalithaasahasranamam, this following portion is of a

special liking to me:

>

> Bhavaanii Bhaavannaagamyaa Bhavaaranya-kuthaarikaa

> Bhadrapriyaa Bhadramuurti: Bhaktasoubhaagyadaayini

> Bhaktipriyaa Bhaktigamyaa Bhaktivashyaa Bhayaapahaa

> Shambhavii Shaaradaaraadhyaa Sharvaanii Sharmadaayinii

>

> From the time I started listening to the stotram rendered by

Smt. C. Saroja and Smt. C.Lalitha in a very enchanting style, this

particular portion appealed to me very much. Bhavaaranya

kuthaarikaa means Sri Lalaithaambal is the axe that cuts away the

forest of samsara. And Ambal is Bhaktipriyaa, She can be Realised

by Bhakti, She can be made 'Our own Mother' through Bhakti and She

destroys fear. When I told some friends about this portion and how

sweet it is to recite repeatedly, and its deep significance to

Vedanta, they readily liked it and some of them even told me that

they had memorised this portion and recite it often.

>

> Thanks to the Topic of this month, for it enables to dwell on

such soul-stirring anecdotes!!

>

> Subbu

>

 

Namaste.

 

In this context I am reminded of Nilakanta Dikshita, the great Devi

bhakta. His AnandasAgarastava is a wonderful bhakti text. He says:

 

"tvatprEraNena miShatah shvasatOpi matah

prAmadi kEpi sati karmaNi mE na doShah |

mataiva dattaM ashanam grasatah sutasya

kO nAma vakShyati shishoratibhukti doSham||" (Verse 38)

 

Translation

O, Mother! To me whose winking of the eyes and breathing themselves

prompted by you, no blame can be attributed if I err in my actions

due to inadvertence. Who can reproach a child for overeating when it

eats nothing but what is given the mother?

 

Here it appears that the bhakta can claim innocence for any action

of his. That is indeed the privilege of a true bhakta who has

surrendered to Devi completely. He considers himself merely Her

instrument and carrries out the divine will without the slightest

trace of ego or the sense of 'doership. Hence no sin can accrue to

him.

 

Harih Om!

 

>

>

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