AshtOttharams: Why the number 108in Archanais ?

[Guest guest]

ThaaraNa Samvathsara SrI Jayanthi Dinam

**********************************************

 

Dear SrI VenkatEsa BhakthAs:

 

Every morning at Thirumala , Lord VenkatEsan

is worshipped with 108 NaamAs from VarAha PurANam .

The hills resound with Govindha Naamam .

 

One wonders why 108 Naamaas instead of some other

number like 10 or 28 or 100 are used in His daily archanaa.

Here is some background information.

 

The New CD ROM on SrI VenkatEsa AshtOttharam

***************************************************************

AdiyEn , SrIman Sriram Srinivasan of California and

Coimbatore SrI Sadagopan IyengAr created few weeks

ago a CD ROM with commentaries on the 108 NaamAs

of Lord VenkatEsA from Varaaha PurANam . There are 108

images that go along with the 108 SrI VenkatEsa NaamAs .

 

adiyEn and SrI Sriram Srinivasan added the earlier write up

on the commentaries of the 108 SrI VenkatEsa NaamAs

from BrahmANDa PurANam with another 108 images

of Sapthagireesan and other Dhivya DEsa EmperumAns

in that CD ROM. You can access the content of the CD ROMat this URL:

 

http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia/oppiliappan/sva

 

Please enjoy the Vaibhavam of Lord VenkatEsA celebrated by

these 216 NaamAs from the two AshtOttharams with corrsponding

number of images of Sriman Venkata NaarAyaNan .

 

Why the Number 108 or 1008 in Naama KusumAnjalis ?

**********************************************************************

AshtOtthatams ( 108) or Sahasrams ( 1,008) are used

to offer TuLasi or Flower or SvarNa Pushpa archanais .

What is significant about the number , say 108 or 1008 ?

 

As I contemplated on this topic , I came across the informative

booklet published by Professor M.G.Prasad entitled : " 108 thoughts

to Ponder " .Three of those ponderings dealt with the number 108

itself . With Professor Prasad's permission , adiyEn would like to share

them with you all in the context of the above announcement of

the new CD ROM on the 108 NaamAs of Lord VenkatEsA .

 

1. Insights from MahA Bhaaratham

**********************************************

 

" The seeker prays for peace of mind throughout the year of

12 months from the disturbances created by the three qualities

(Satthva , Rajas and Tamas) and the three (Samsaaric) afflictions

(physical , accidental and natural catastrophies , spiritual causes/

Aaadhidhaivikam )" . 3X3X12 adds upto 108 accounting for year

round kavacham / protection/ rakshaNam from all these obstacles .

 

2. Insights from KaThopanishad

******************************************

The second quostation is from KaThOpanishad ( 6th Valli):

" 100+1+7 = 108 ; Every human being has hundred and one(101)

multi-colored naadis in the heart . The one singular central naadi

(Sushumna ) is for meditation , realization of the Supreme Truth .

It is also required for the passage of individual's final emancipation

ascending through the seven steps (VyAhruthis) of Yogic realization .

The passage through other hundred nadis will lead the individual

into other worlds and other janmAs ".

 

This tatthvam is central to the individual self leaving the body with

the Lord's help to leave via Moordhanya Naadi to enter ArchirAdhi

mArgam ( the path of light ) to travel to SrI Vaikuntam for performing

nithya Kaimkaryam and enjoy there ParipoorNa BrahmAnandham .

The self exiting the body through any of the naadis other than

Moordhanya naadi enter into other janmAs and stay as SamsAris .

 

The actual Upanishad Manthram elaborated in many esoteric

texts of SrI ViashNava SiddhAntham is :

 

Satham chaikaa cha hrudhayasya naaDya:

thaasAm moordhAnamabhinisruthaikaa

tayOrdhvamaayannamruthatathvamEthi

vishvangganyA uthkramaNE bhavanthi ....KaThavalli: 6.16

 

The Commentary of PoorvAchAryas is : " tayaa naadyaa

urdhvam Brahma lOkam ( SrIvaikuntam) gacchan

dEsa-visEsha-visishta Brahma-prApthi-poorvaka

svasvaroopaavirbhAva lakshaNAm Mukthim prApnOthi ".

 

Support from Srimath Rahasya Thraya Saaram

*************************************************************

NiryANAdhikAram of Srimath Rahasya Thraya Saaram(20th chapter)

elaborates on the exit of the Jeevan by the Moordhanya Nadi.

Swamy Desikan staes at the conclusion of this chapter :

 

dhamanimiha nastasmin kaalE sa yEva sathAdhikAm

akruthaka-pura-prasTAnArTam pravEsayathi Prabhu:

 

(Meaning ): The Lord , who resides in the subtle ether

of the heart lotus takes the effort to prepare the Prapanna

Jeevan commence its journey via ArchirAdhi maargam

by entering it into the upward facing Moordhanya Naadi .

 

The subsequent Gathi visEshAdhikAram and ParipoorNa

BrahmAnubhava adhikArams of SrImath Rahasya Thraya

Saaram discuss the travel of the Jeevan by the path of

light and arrival at Sri Vaikuntam to enjoy ParipoorNa

BrahmAnanadham in the company of nithya sooris and

other Muktha Jeevans .

 

The significance of the number 108 evoked by

the ashtOthara Satha NaamArchanam can thus

be understood against this background .

 

Wish you all Happy browsing of the two commentaries

on the AshtOtthara Satha NaamAs of Lord VenkatEsaa

from the Varaha and BrahmANDa PurANams housed

in the new CD with URL :

 

http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia/oppiliappan/sva

 

NamO VenkatEsAya

Govindha ! GovindhA!

 

Daasan , Oppiliappan KOil VaradAchAri Sadagopan

[Guest guest]

Dear mama,

 

Pranams!

 

The insight on the significance of 108 from KathOpanishad talks

about 7 steps of yogic realization. Does this phenomenon anyway

relates to the elavation of soul from earth to 7 lokas above it?

If so, is prAnAyAmam the way to achieve that?

 

Thanks,

 

Respectfully,

Ramanan

 

 

______________

Get your own "800" number

Voicemail, fax, email, and a lot more

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---- On Mon, 06 Sep 2004, Sadagopan (sgopan) wrote:

 

> ThaaraNa Samvathsara SrI Jayanthi Dinam

> **********************************************

>

> Dear SrI VenkatEsa BhakthAs:

>

> Every morning at Thirumala , Lord VenkatEsan

> is worshipped with 108 NaamAs from VarAha PurANam .

> The hills resound with Govindha Naamam .

>

> One wonders why 108 Naamaas instead of some other

> number like 10 or 28 or 100 are used in His daily archanaa.

> Here is some background information.

>

> The New CD ROM on SrI VenkatEsa AshtOttharam

>

***************************************************************

> AdiyEn , SrIman Sriram Srinivasan of California and

> Coimbatore SrI Sadagopan IyengAr created few weeks

> ago a CD ROM with commentaries on the 108 NaamAs

> of Lord VenkatEsA from Varaaha PurANam . There are 108

> images that go along with the 108 SrI VenkatEsa NaamAs .

>

> adiyEn and SrI Sriram Srinivasan added the earlier write up

> on the commentaries of the 108 SrI VenkatEsa NaamAs

> from BrahmANDa PurANam with another 108 images

> of Sapthagireesan and other Dhivya DEsa EmperumAns

> in that CD ROM. You can access the content of the CD ROM

> at this URL:

>

> http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia/oppiliappan/sva

>

> Please enjoy the Vaibhavam of Lord VenkatEsA celebrated by

> these 216 NaamAs from the two AshtOttharams with corrsponding

> number of images of Sriman Venkata NaarAyaNan .

>

> Why the Number 108 or 1008 in Naama KusumAnjalis ?

>

**********************************************************************

> AshtOtthatams ( 108) or Sahasrams ( 1,008) are used

> to offer TuLasi or Flower or SvarNa Pushpa archanais .

> What is significant about the number , say 108 or 1008 ?

>

> As I contemplated on this topic , I came across the

informative

> booklet published by Professor M.G.Prasad entitled : " 108

thoughts

> to Ponder " .Three of those ponderings dealt with the number

108

> itself . With Professor Prasad's permission , adiyEn would

like to share

> them with you all in the context of the above announcement of

> the new CD ROM on the 108 NaamAs of Lord VenkatEsA .

>

> 1. Insights from MahA Bhaaratham

> **********************************************

>

> " The seeker prays for peace of mind throughout the year of

> 12 months from the disturbances created by the three qualities

 

> (Satthva , Rajas and Tamas) and the three (Samsaaric)

afflictions

> (physical , accidental and natural catastrophies , spiritual

causes/

> Aaadhidhaivikam )" . 3X3X12 adds upto 108 accounting for year

 

> round kavacham / protection/ rakshaNam from all these

obstacles .

>

> 2. Insights from KaThopanishad

> ******************************************

> The second quostation is from KaThOpanishad ( 6th Valli):

> " 100+1+7 = 108 ; Every human being has hundred and one(101)

> multi-colored naadis in the heart . The one singular central

naadi

> (Sushumna ) is for meditation , realization of the Supreme

Truth .

> It is also required for the passage of individual's final

emancipation

> ascending through the seven steps (VyAhruthis) of Yogic

realization .

> The passage through other hundred nadis will lead the

individual

> into other worlds and other janmAs ".

>

> This tatthvam is central to the individual self leaving the

body with

> the Lord's help to leave via Moordhanya Naadi to enter

ArchirAdhi

> mArgam ( the path of light ) to travel to SrI Vaikuntam for

performing

> nithya Kaimkaryam and enjoy there ParipoorNa BrahmAnandham .

> The self exiting the body through any of the naadis other than

> Moordhanya naadi enter into other janmAs and stay as SamsAris

..

>

> The actual Upanishad Manthram elaborated in many esoteric

> texts of SrI ViashNava SiddhAntham is :

>

> Satham chaikaa cha hrudhayasya naaDya:

> thaasAm moordhAnamabhinisruthaikaa

> tayOrdhvamaayannamruthatathvamEthi

> vishvangganyA uthkramaNE bhavanthi ....KaThavalli: 6.16

>

> The Commentary of PoorvAchAryas is : " tayaa naadyaa

> urdhvam Brahma lOkam ( SrIvaikuntam) gacchan

> dEsa-visEsha-visishta Brahma-prApthi-poorvaka

> svasvaroopaavirbhAva lakshaNAm Mukthim prApnOthi ".

>

> Support from Srimath Rahasya Thraya Saaram

> *************************************************************

> NiryANAdhikAram of Srimath Rahasya Thraya Saaram(20th chapter)

> elaborates on the exit of the Jeevan by the Moordhanya Nadi.

> Swamy Desikan staes at the conclusion of this chapter :

>

> dhamanimiha nastasmin kaalE sa yEva sathAdhikAm

> akruthaka-pura-prasTAnArTam pravEsayathi Prabhu:

>

> (Meaning ): The Lord , who resides in the subtle ether

> of the heart lotus takes the effort to prepare the Prapanna

> Jeevan commence its journey via ArchirAdhi maargam

> by entering it into the upward facing Moordhanya Naadi .

>

> The subsequent Gathi visEshAdhikAram and ParipoorNa

> BrahmAnubhava adhikArams of SrImath Rahasya Thraya

> Saaram discuss the travel of the Jeevan by the path of

> light and arrival at Sri Vaikuntam to enjoy ParipoorNa

> BrahmAnanadham in the company of nithya sooris and

> other Muktha Jeevans .

>

> The significance of the number 108 evoked by

> the ashtOthara Satha NaamArchanam can thus

> be understood against this background .

>

> Wish you all Happy browsing of the two commentaries

> on the AshtOtthara Satha NaamAs of Lord VenkatEsaa

> from the Varaha and BrahmANDa PurANams housed

> in the new CD with URL :

>

> http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia/oppiliappan/sva

>

> NamO VenkatEsAya

> Govindha ! GovindhA!

>

> Daasan , Oppiliappan KOil VaradAchAri Sadagopan

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>