Agastya Maharshi uvācha, “One who is overcome by lust, greed, etc. does not respond well to any advice given in his or her best interest. The advice for his or her good does not agree with him or her just like medicine administered to a dying man. O most exemplary of men! There is... Continue Reading →
Siva Gita – Chapter 2 – The Teaching of Dispassion – Slokas 1 – Slokas 43, Uttara Khanda, Padma Purana
Rishyah uvācha, "Why did the great Agastya Maharshi come to meet Prabhu Shri Rama? How did he initiate Raghava into that blemishless Viraja vow? Kindly tell us what Prabhu Shri Rama received by observing that vow?" Sūta Maharshi uvācha, "When Sita, the virtuous daughter of Janaka Rajarshi was abducted by Ravana, Raghava was overcome... Continue Reading →
Siva Gita – Chapter I – Slokas 1 – Slokas 36, Uttara Khanda, Padma Purana
ॐ गणपतिशारदागुरुभ्यो नमः | ॐ नमो: शिवाय | Sūta Maharshi uvācha, "I will elucidate, by the grace of the benevolent and great Lord Shiva, that which removes the pain of cycle of births and bestows the supreme release. The mortal does not get liberation either by the performance of obligatory religious duties, nor... Continue Reading →
Karma Yoga – A critical analysis of Self-enquiry and Self-awareness
Karma Yoga is a term that is often used to describe one who is engaged in duty and action as the means to realize the Self. The questions that need to be asked are - Who is the doer? What is meant by duty? What is meant by action? What is meant by inaction? What... Continue Reading →
Tirthyatra Parva – Narada Devarshi visits Yudhishtira and explains the benefits of pilgrimage quoting the conversation between Bhishma and Pulastya Brahmarshi
Vaishampayana uvācha, "Janamejaya! Dharmaraja Yudhishtira became sad on hearing the words of anxiety expressed by Draupadi and his brothers towards the well-being of Dhananjaya. As he was pondering over this, Mahatma Narada Devarshi arrived in his midst. Mahatma Narada Devarshi was resplendent with the Supreme Radiance like the fire that rises in all its glory when ghee... Continue Reading →
The importance of Payoshni River, Vaidurya Parvat and Narmada River
Dharmaraja Yudhishtira and his brothers, Lomasha Maharshi and the servants left for the sacrosanct Payoshni River that had been worshipped by the ruler of Vidarbha. The divine ambrosia Somarasa of the yagnas was mixed in its waters. They arrived at the bank of the river and drank its water. They decided to stay here singing... Continue Reading →
The birth of Ashtavakra and his entry into the court of Raja Janaka
Lomasha Maharshi uvācha, "O Yudhishtira! We are here in the sacrosanct ashrama of Shvetaketu, son of Uddalaka who is said to be exceedingly proficient in mantra-shastra. See all the trees here are laden with fruits. Shvetaketu has had the darshan of Saraswati Devi in this ashrama in all her glory and said thus to the Divine Mother who... Continue Reading →
Bhagawan Bala Mukunda reveals Himself to Markandeya Maharshi
Bhagawan Bala Mukunda uvācha, "O Venerable One! Even the devathas do not know My form satisfactorily and in reality. I will tell you the manner in which I create this universe because of your love and affection. Brahmarshi! You are a devotee of the ancestors and you have sought refuge in Me and you have... Continue Reading →
Markandeya Maharshi’s darshan of Bhagawan Bala Mukunda at the time of Maha Pralaya
Vaishampayana uvācha, "Janamejaya! Dharmaraja Yudhishtira asked Chiranjeevi Markandeya Maharshi this question - Mahamune! You have seen the Mahāpralaya that occurs after thousands of yugas. I do not see any man who has lived as long as you have in this universe. O Maharshi! You are the best among all the knowers of Brahman! There is no one besides... Continue Reading →
Sanatkumara’s upadesha to Shuka
Brahmaputra Sanatkumara Paramarshi with the intention to guide Shuka Paramarshi arrived at his hermitage. When Shuka Muni saw the radiant eternal Sage, he rose up and offered him his pranaams. Bhagawan Sanatkumara asked, "Mahabhaga! Vyāsaputra! What are you doing?" To which Shuka replied, "Brahmakumara! I am at this moment studying the Vedas. I... Continue Reading →
Shuka’s visit to Mithila and conversation with Janaka Rajarshi
Sanandana Paramarshi narrates an incident to Narada Devarshi about the time when Shuka Paramarshi went to his venerable father, Veda Vyāsa Maharshi and asked him about moksha and dharma. "'Bhagawan! I offer my salutations to you. You are an exponent in the subject of moksha and dharma. Please give me such an upadesha (instruction) where my mind will... Continue Reading →
Chapter 19 – The Lesson and the Last word
Sadguru Sree Seshadri Swamigal, known as an ocean of kindness and a Sadguru in all the three worlds, has been only preaching this doctrine of wisdom and enlightenment, as our Brahmi-bhuta guru. There can be only one Bhagavad Gita! And, it is known to all as a unique one. However, those who have taken shelter... Continue Reading →
Chapter 18 – Seshagita
If after the fall of the body, what remains as “Sesha” is the Atman, then even before the bodily frame withers away, the Sesha portion referable to the Atman is very much there, as the body is an appendage. An individual seeker is immersed in thoughts of the “Sesha”- in contemplation of the Atman and... Continue Reading →
Chapter 17 – The self-luminous “Sesha!”
All spiritual seekers absolutely need a Guru. There can be no doubt about it. Instead of spoiling one’s life in needless gossip and without arrogating to oneself an air of superiority and immersing oneself in the egoistic expressions of “I”and “Me” to roam about aimlessly, if one succeeds in coming out of the dreams of... Continue Reading →
Chapter 16 – Greatness of the Guru
Wherever a devotee has reached the stage of mental concentration on the object of contemplation and has inculcated the ideal of inward purity in himself, the Almighty God manifests himself as the “Guru” and appears before him in order to bless him with the elixir of life in the form of his teachings. This Guru... Continue Reading →
Chapter 15 – “Leela Vinodini”-the playful charmer of the puppet-world!
The Mother of the Universe assumes the role of a leela vinodini- a playful charmer of the puppet-world and reveals to the enlightened ones the blissful side of her auctorial puerility. The jnani’s (The one endowed with enlightenment or knowledge) mind, by virtue of her grace, not knowing anything deceptive, will be as pure as that... Continue Reading →
Chapter 14 – Eligibility for Mother’s Grace
Every spiritualist must have the romance of hair-raising experience on the threshold of fulfillment. One such person who becomes a personification of purity singularly gets eligibility to earn Mother’s grace. One whose centre of the soul - antaratma – goes into articulation of the Mother’s name- Amma! - once at least everyday leading to the... Continue Reading →
Chapter 13 – From Dvaita to Advaita
The great ones who left their indelible impressions on the spiritual path came to know the quintessence of Advaita from a Dvaitic posture. In other words, they learnt all about monotheism from a position of dualism. And those who experienced the truth behind Advaita have given warm words of wisdom with extraordinary love and affection... Continue Reading →
Chapter 12 – Self-Examination
The journey to the centre of the heart – the abode of the Atman-through the graceful instrumentality of the Guru, who takes one to the sublime state of the Brahman, is the ultimate journey towards immortality. This process or evolution involves one in self-examination and metaphysical disquisition; discussion and deliberation leading to the motivation for... Continue Reading →
Chapter 11 – Way to God Realization
There are quite a few ways to realization of God. One of them is the path of bhakti or devotion to efforts in order to come face-to- face with the Ultimate Reality of Existence. If the doctrine of devotion gets immersed in the inner frame of the individual, then it leads to enlightenment, to the... Continue Reading →
Chapter 10 – The Inner Light
The Transcendental Principle of self-effulgence and self-manifestation has been glowing at all times without a respite as the Inner Light - antaranga jyoti. The Supreme Creator has conferred, on the human beings only, the benefit of extra-sensory perception so that a person may perceive and know the ramifications of the Supreme Principle. The Creator himself, called... Continue Reading →
Chapter 9 – Origins
The Almighty creator has been pervading the whole gamut of creation called Universe he originated. This Almighty has, in the vast and expansive universe, not only been responsible for the emergence of ever so many types and forms of life, but has also filled the womb of universal origins enjoying his perceptions in the ocean... Continue Reading →
Sri Arunachaleshwara
Greatness of sri Arunachaleswara (A) “Naamasmaranamaatrena yat paataka vinaashanam” – Skanda (3-1-11) (B) “Na kshetramarunaadasti Naasti devo-aruneswaraat Naapi pradakshinaadanydividyatebhya- adhikam Tapaha” –Skanda (3-24-52) In praise of Sri Arunachaleswara (From Ashtothram) 1 Aum Shronaadreeshaaya Namaha 2 Aum Arunaadreeshaaya Namaha 3 Aum Devaadheeshaaya Namaha 4 Aum Janapriyaaya Namaha 5 Aum Prapannarakshakaaya Namaha 6 Aum Dheeraaya... Continue Reading →
Chapter 8 – Aurora of Arunachala
The importance of the sacred place of Thiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu lies in the secret of its being the centre of the thejo linga kshetra and in its being the secret abode of the Supreme Lord Shiva in his elemental form of fire. While the celebrated linga adorns the temple of Arunachaleswara, Skandapurana comes out... Continue Reading →
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