doShaparihArAShTakam- series -7 - Bee metaphor

[Guest guest]

advaitin, "dhyanasaraswati"

<dhyanasaraswati wrote:

>

> Thank you sri Lakshmiji !

>

> The 'bee 'is a favorite metaphor in hindu scriptures. in fact , in

> the Srimad Bhagvatam, SRI DATTATREYA lists the 'bee' as one of his

> 24 upagurus.

>

> YES! An intelligent man should from the smallest as well as the

> biggest religious scriptures take the essence, just like a honey bee

> does with all the flowers big and small !

 

Namaste.

 

The bee metaphor has been used by Adi Shankara in his Soundaryalahari

shloka #90 very delightfully. The following extract is from

 

http://www.geocities.com/profvk/gohitvip/DPDS21-25.html

 

"Mind and the five senses are together counted as six instruments for

the human being. Instruments are called `karaNas' in Sanskrit. The

six `karaNas' of man are like the `caraNas' (feet) of a bee. So the

jIva itself is nothing but a six-footed bee with six instruments of

action. The analogy becomes apt when we think of the bee merging into

the depths of a flower with all its (six) feet stuck in that depth.

For, the jIva has to work its way to stick its six instruments out

into the lotus of the divine feet of the Mother. This is the idea

which our Acharya himself later builds into Sloka 90 of

Soundaryalahari: `nimajjan majjIvaH karaNa-caraNaH shhaT-caraNatAm',

meaning, `plunging (into Your lotus feet), may this jIva of mine with

its six instruments as the feet (become) the six-legged bee' ."

 

The Acharya has also composed a ShaTpadi stotram, which if I remember

right, was discussed on this list some time back. See

 

advaitin/message/29240

 

PraNAms to all advaitins

profvk

[Guest guest]

Namaste !

 

In a vachana (devotional verse) , the kannada=poet saint Basvanna

sings thus

 

 

The Chakora bird longs for the moonlight,

The lotus longs for sunrise,

The bee longs to drink the flower's nectar,

Even so my heart anxiously longs for thee, O Lord.

 

Any time , surrender to the lotus feet of the god/ess is mnentioned

i remember the verse quoted above .

 

On this auspicious Friday, it is wonderful to hear such devotional

surrender to the lotus feet of Devi Sri Lalithambika !

 

Professor-ji writes

 

(`nimajjan majjIvaH karaNa-caraNaH shhaT-caraNatAm',

meaning, `plunging (into Your lotus feet), may this jIva of mine

with its six instruments as the feet (become) the six-legged

bee' .)

 

Obn another note , while all the six verses in the shatpadi stotram

are equally beautiful, i like to recall the very first verse

 

Avinayam apanaya vishno

Damaya manah samaya vishaya mriga-trishnaam;

Boota dayaam vistaaraya

Taaraya samsaara saagaratah , ( verse 1)

 

Oh Lord Viúnu! Drive away (my) immodesty, quell (my) mind and dispel

the mirage of objects of worldly pleasure. Spread out compassion (in

me) for all beings. Make me cross the ocean of worldly existence (to

the shore, viz. mokúa)

 

http://www.kamakoti.org/shlokas/kshlok15.htm

 

in this context, i would also like to recall this sloka by Sri

Padmapaada Acharya in praise of Sri Adi Sankara, says :

 

Yadvaktra maanasa sarah pratilabdha janma

Bhashyaaravinda makarandarasam pibanti;

Pratyaasa-munmukha *vineeta vineya bhringaah,*

Taan bhaashya-vittaka-guroon pranatosmi moordhnaa.

 

This verse described the disciples of Sri Bhagavatpaada as bees

(Bhringah) drinking the nectar of Bhashya flowing from the lotus

face of Sankara. The expression used to indicate the disciples is

Vineetavineya bringaah. The special significance of this expression

is that these Vineyas (pupils coming to be equipped with Vinaya)

have become Vineeta (persons possessing the virtue of Vinaya). by

the mere presence of the Guru.

 

Please read this wonderful article at

 

http://www.kamakoti.org/acall/ac-value.html

 

ENJOY THE NECTAR OF THESE SUBLIME VERSES.

 

Namaste!

 

 

 

advaitin, "V. Krishnamurthy" <profvk

wrote:

>

> the `caraNas' (feet) of a bee. So the

>