ashta_vidham_pushpam

[Guest guest]

The following text is in continuation of the previous message on "eight flowers."

Dasan

Krishnaswamy

 

Desika Sahasranama

http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia/ebooks/vdesikan/tdesikan/dsahasranama/namas.html

Nama 40(PraNavam) ashta-pushpIshta ashtAnga-yOgakAya nama:

Salutations to that exemplary AchAryan , who performed Bhagavad

AarAdhanam with the eight flowers of AshtAnga yOgam !

These eight "flowers " are:

(1)ahimsai/nonvilolence ,

(2)Indhriya nigraham/control over the indhriyams

(3)Tapas /penance

(4)irakkam/compassion

(5)poRumai/tolerance-forbearance

(6)Jn~Anam/correct knowledge

(7)dhyAnam/meditation about the auspicious guNamsof the Lord and

(8) sathyam/truthfulness.

Swamy Desikan has referred to them in both SrImad Rahasya Thraya Saaram and Saccharithra Rakshai.

The eight flowers (ashta pushpee) by which one can worship Bhagavaan appropriately are:

(1)Uthpalam

(2)Red Lotus

(3)Satha pathrakam /100 petaled flower

(4)Sahasra pathram/1000 petaled flower

(5) PuNdarIkam

(6)TuLasi

(7) Bhaga pushpam ( Kokku ThAmarai) and

(8) SouvarNam/Gold flower .

When one engages in this type of AarAdhanam , one must not leave out

any one of the above 8 flowers. It is not easy hence to practise this

type of aarAdhanam . The alternative route of practising ahimsa to

sathyam is preferrable even if it takes enormous spiritual

discipline. Swamy Desikan was one such exemplary practioner of the

Ashta Pushpee AshtAnga yOgam.

Even today the Bhagavad AarAdhanam that we perform is known as

AshtAnga Yaagam consisting of 8 steps: Abhigamanam , bhOgam ,

poojanam , nivEdhanam , samprathAnam , vahni samarpaNam , pithru

yaagam and anuyAgam .