நான் யார்?: 2021

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

Ancient Tamizh Temple children & pregnancy traditions

The way life decides to propagate itself to keep the species alive is a miracle. In this complex process, there is uncertainty & anxiety for us humans in the 'human condition'.

When one is pregnant, the desire for a safe pregnancy can lead some with determination on the spiritual path temporarily.

This is called the Prasava Vairagyam, one of the four Vairagyas.

Here are some ancient traditions that Tamizhs follow associated with some ancient temples.

Thirumanancheri Shiva temple, Tamizh Nadu

Temple for folks having trouble finding a marriage partner or for separated couples hoping to get back.

Srividya Rajagopalan Swami, Mannargudi, Tamizh Nadu

The family does a Puja to a small Krishna on a cradle that will be temporarily given. This is a prayer seeking a child who will bring happiness.

Darbha Sayana Rama, Thirupullani, Tamizh Nadu

A rare temple where Rama is sleeping on holy grass, hence Darba Sayana. Rituals performed seeking a child.

Garbarakshambikai Devi Shiva temple, Thirukkarugavur, Tamizh Nadu

The family does a Puja to protect the pregnancy for a healthy pregnancy. Shiva is called Mullai Vana Nathar, who was a Swayambhu Shiva in a Mullai thottam. Once the child is born, the child is brought back to the temple & put on a cradle, as part of a venduthal (வேண்டுதல்-prayer fulfillment).

Akhilandeshvari Devi Karuvalarcheri (near Marudhanallur), Tamizh Nadu

The family offers prayers for the healthy growth of the child during pregnancy.

Once the child is born, the child is brought back to the temple & put on a cradle as part of the வேண்டுதல்.

Thayumanavar Shiva temple, Trichirapalli (Trichy), Tamizh Nadu

This temple has a Sthala Puranam of a girl who regularly visited the temple goes into labor with the river Kaveri is in spate & the mother is out of town. The mother manages to come & helps with a healthy delivery. The next day, the mother comes hurriedly & says that she got stuck across the river & couldn't make it. It was Shiva who came as the mother & helped with the delivery. Hence, the Shiva of this temple is called Thayumanavar (the one who is a mother as well).

Prayers are offered for a healthy delivery. After the child is born, a Vazha Thaar (bunch of bananas) is carried as the வேண்டுதல். The bananas are distributed as Naivedyam to the devotees.

Thiruchendur Murugan, Tamizh Nadu

Once the child is born, parents can only do so much to protect the child. How about seeking divine protection?

The child is given to Murugan & is considered as Murugan's child henceforth, who has to protect the child. Then, the child is taken back by the parents & raised on Murugan's behalf.

Soundarya Lahiri, verse 29: The Kiridam Vairinjam Slokam is chanted for a healthy pregnancy.

May you get all happiness that you seek, be it material & the permanent divine happiness. May the divine bless you in this path. Om.

Friday, December 24, 2021

Don't step on the entrance of one who disrespects you - Avvaiyaar

மதியாதார் முற்றம் மதித்தொருகாற் சென்று

மிதியாமை கோடி பெறும்

உண்ணீர்உண் ணீரென் றுபசரியார் தம்மனையில்

உண்ணாமை கோடி பெறும்

கோடி கொடுத்ததும் குடிப்பிறந்தார் தம்மொடு

கூடுவதே கோடி பெறும்

கோடானுகோடி கொடுப்பினும் தன்னுடைநாக்

கோடாமை கோடி பெறும்.

- ஔவையார்

Don't step on the entrance of one who disrespects you.

Don't eat at someone's place who doesn't show hospitality.

Form relationships with good people.

Keep up your promises.

This is real wealth.

- Avvaiyaar

References:

http://rprabhu.blogspot.com/2011/12/austere-avvaiyar-part-7.html

Sunday, December 12, 2021

Ahimsa cricket balls

How are cricket balls made?

Around 40 cricket balls are made from the hide of a single slaughtered cow.

The Mumbai Cricket club alone needs around 12,000 cricket balls per year.

A ball is not used beyond 80 overs in professional games.

A cricket ball needs tender cow skin. It is not procured from the skin of already dead cows. Cows are actively slaughtered, also illegally, for it. Meerut produces 50% of all cricket balls used in India.

What's the alternative? An English London cricket club (Earley Cricket Club in Reading) is leading the way with vegan Ahimsa cricket balls.

I contacted the club & they responded that they use the SG Everlast PU cricket balls which they found to be the best.

I did a quick search & found this supplier to the USA. SG Everlast Cricket Ball Weather Resistant Made Of PVC - Cricket Best Buy

We can start a movement & eventually make all of cricket Ahimsa. Please speak up & request your cricket clubs to use the Ahimsa cricket balls.

Sunday, November 21, 2021

Mrithyu: Death: End & beginning

The Vairagyas

Janma Mrithyu Jara Vyadhi & our states of being

Yama's buffalo

4 diseases

Primordial questions: Symbolic answers with Shiva

Savitri, Saptapadi, 360 degrees, Apadharma

Lalitha Sahasranamam & the final state

Sweeter than Amrutham

Tuesday, November 09, 2021

Subramanya Bhujangam & the snake connection

I don't know anything, the words, meanings, poetry or prose. It is you in my heart who composes. -Adi Sankara in his Subramanya Bhujangam

न जानामि शब्दं न जानामि चार्थं

न जानामि पद्यं न जानामि गद्यम् ।

चिदेका षडास्या हृदि द्योतते मे

मुखान्निःसरन्ते गिरश्चापि चित्रम् ॥२॥

श्रीसुब्रह्मण्यभुजंगम्

आदि शङ्कराचार्यः

Brahman is the all-pervading divinity.

Su as a prefix means good.

Subrahmanyan is the good aspect of the all-pervading divinity.

Bhuja is arm/shoulder. Anga is limb. Bhujanga is muscle. Bhujanga also means a snake which uses all its body's muscles to move. Bhujangasana is the snake pose (commonly called as the cobra pose by US YogAsana instructors), that uses the arm & shoulder to lift up & bend backwards.

Subramanya is sometimes represented as a snake, indicating the Kundalini. An example is the famous Kukke Subramanya temple in the Western Ghats in Karnataka. His Vahana is the peacock & the rooster, both birds normally inimical to snakes. With divinity, the opposites no longer exist.

The Subramanya Bhujangam is composed with twists & turns in the lyrics with highs & lows in the melody, to indicate its snake-like quality.

Monday, October 25, 2021

Three types of sadness-Samkya

दुःखत्रयाभिघाताज्जिज्ञासा तदभिघातके हेतौ ।

दृष्टे सापार्था चेन्नैकान्तात्यन्ततोऽभावात् ॥ १ ॥

- सांख्यकारिका १

Dukha means sadness (bad space).

आध्यात्मिक Adhyatmika: Sadness caused by ourselves. This is in our control & can be avoided.

आधिभौतिक Adhibhautika: Sadness caused by others. Not in our control.

अधिदैविक Adhidaivika: Sadness caused by external forces (Devas/divine, nature). Not in our control.

Samskritam etymology - words with ख Kha (space) as the root

ख Kha means space in Samskritam.

This leads to words:

सखा Sakha(same space-male friend)

सखि Sakhi (same space-female friend)

सुख Sukha (good space-comfort)

दुःख Dukha (bad space-worry)

खग Khaga (that which travels across space meaning a bird or the sun)

Tuesday, October 19, 2021

Decay process of a native culture & language

Which stage are we in?

1. Epics with linguistic wizardry produced. Language spoken at work & all environments. Festivals with regular congregations celebrated in public and integrated with work. Festivals patronized by rulers. All research, science & math done in the language. Libraries hold books in the native language.

2. Language no longer spoken at work, only spoken at home. Festivals no longer patronized at work & by rulers. Public display of festivities reduce. Less literature generated. Less people can read & write the language. Research, science & math no longer done in the language. An inimical strong power may burn libraries, attack or ban public festivities & enforce its own language & culture.

3. Language spoken by kids only with grandparents. Schools no longer predominantly teach the native language. Businesses no longer use the language in naming the stores or when marketing. Libraries no longer carry books in the language. Festivals & rituals performed privately at home. Most public festivities cease.

4. Language only used for rituals at home. Most rituals cease at home.

5. Language dead, taking with it the culture associated with the language. In museums. Only linguists learn the language.

How to preserve?

Speak the language as much as possible. Read literature in the language. Write in your language, initially in the script that you know & later in the native script.

Idea credit: Kiran Varanasi

Thursday, October 14, 2021

Options when ruled by criminals

If unchecked by laws & law enforcement in society, crime pays. Imagine looting what someone has worked for the entire life in a jiffy but there's no punishment but promises of rewards. If crime is given legal & religious sanction, one can even feel good committing crimes.

Criminal societies were the norm in history in most monocultures until the multicultural undesirables were wiped out. History is simply repeating itself today on those who don't learn from it.

Though the original colonizers are gone, the converts to the colonizer's faith are excessively brutal towards fellow natives who still follow the native culture, while feeling superior to the natives.

What are the options for the surviving natives?

Live in a permanent state of fear
Convert
Flee
Die without resistance
Defend until death.

Living in a permanent state of fear as a second class citizen. The Stockholm syndrome will come into play. One will be overtly thankful for small acts of kindness & try to rationalize all atrocities. One will be overly friendly with the rulers. The rulers may criticize one's beliefs but one may not dare speak up & pretend that everything is normal, virtue signaling for a deep need to feel accepted. Gradually, all outward festivities will die out, all worship will be forced internal. Only the criminal rulers will be allowed outward festivities. One may also need to pay up protection money for mere existence, like the mafia. It allows one to exist temporarily. One's womenfolk will be abducted & forced into criminal harems. This is a gradual extinction. This will stunt one's potential & is no way to live. Some will choose the option of Conversion.

Conversion: Conversion temporarily secures life & the criminals will celebrate your homecoming. You keep your property. However, this will result in a poor quality society over time, rife with strife & violence, bereft of critical thinking & all that is good. Some of your brainwashed descendants will persecute the non-converted natives. Once the natives are wiped out, in the absence of someone to persecute, the criminals will turn on each other. Ultimately, you have chosen to side with the criminal mafia & your descendants will be trained servitors of the mafia. This is a poor outcome for the individual & society.

Fleeing can postpone the problem but there will come a time when there is no place to go & a time to take a stand. The criminals gain your land, wealth & property. Crime pays. They will also take those womenfolk who were unable to flee.

Dying without resistance will help the criminals gain land, wealth, property & the undefended womenfolk.

Defend until death requires courage & the real possibility of being tortured to death by the criminals or rotting away in a prison for one's entire life. The human cost & suffering is enormous. But this will at least impose costs on the criminals. History shows that people who choose to defend against all odds take heavy difficult losses but the civilization has at least a chance of survival. One at least dies with self-respect. To be able to defend, the weakest must arm themselves. Since the criminals will have arms anyway & if the weak don't, they will simply be one of the "Dying without resistance".

If it is possible to overthrow the criminal rulers, your descendants have a shot at building a better society without criminal rule. Unless the history & cultural knowledge is passed down though, the descendants may inadvertently end up enabling the criminals again.

Every great thing perishes if its heirs are petty.- Oswald Spengler

Civilization is a precious thing; there are always Barbarians at the Gates. - Will Durant

Sunday, October 10, 2021

Intoxication to destruction

Devi Bhagavatham.

5.9.41-48: Mahisha's messengers saw Devi in her sublime beauty holding divine weapons, calmly drinking wine. Terrified, they fled & reported back to Mahisha.

5.18.26-70: Mahisha assumes several terrible forms & fiercely attacks Devi who repels the attacks. Then, mocks the Devas for sending a woman to face him. Devi retorts: "Your end is near. I'll have a drink & destroy you". Drinks the Madya & destroys him.

Durga Saptasati of the Markandeya Purana (shortest MahaPurana).

ततः क्रुद्धा जगन्माता चण्डिका पानमुत्तमम् ।

पापौ पुनः पुनश्चैव जहासारुणलोचना ॥३.३४॥

ननर्द चासुरः सोऽपि बलवीर्यमदोद्धतः ।

विषाणाभ्यां च चिक्षेप चण्डिकां प्रति भूधरान् ॥३.३५॥

सा च तान् प्रहितांस्तेन चूर्णयन्ती शरोत्करैः ।

उवाच तं मदोद्धूतमुखरागाकुलाक्षरम् ॥३.३६॥

देव्युवाच ॥३७॥

गर्ज गर्ज क्षणं मूढ मधु यावत्पिबाम्यहम् ।

मया त्वयि हतेऽत्रैव गर्जिष्यन्त्याशु देवताः ॥३.३८॥

"Exult a few more moments, you fool. Your end is here." Consuming Madya & with terrifying laughter, she slew the one who was intoxicated with his own power & glory.

Time is Kala, another name for Yama (death). MahaKala (Shiva as Bhairava) is great time. Normally in temples, Tulsi water, Karupura (camphor) water, milk, fruits or flowers are served as Prasadam. In Bhairava temples, a little bit of wine is served as a Prasadam. My family had this experience in a Ujjaini Shiva temple two decades back.

Time is also Kali in its feminine form, also called MahaKali. Kali is also referred to as being fond of wine.

The divine mother of all had to consume Madya to gain some Tamasa to destroy one of her own. Mahisha as the water buffalo represents Tamas, languid & lazy. The buffalo is also the Vahana of Yama, meaning slowly & surely, the end comes for everyone & everything. The symbol of intoxication of power, wealth & fame is given a literal intoxicant as the opposite.

In history, the most powerful dynasties & empires, systems which ruled with iron fists intoxicated with its own power & glory, that appeared too powerful to fail, all met their end. The most powerful systems that are ruling earth today with similar characteristics will meet their end as well. They only have power as long as she wills it. It is only a matter of time. And time is patient & eternal, coming slowly. Like the buffalo.

References:

https://hritambhara.com/2021/10/08/raudrani-the-fierce-aspect-of-the-mother/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=raudrani-the-fierce-aspect-of-the-mother

Tuesday, October 05, 2021

Identifying mental colonization

How to identify mental colonization? Typically, the colonized won't be self-aware of one's own colonization & there are multiple levels.

Loves the colonizer's land & dislikes one's native place.

Loves the colonizer's language & cannot read/speak/understand one's own language. Even if one can read, will prefer literature & writings of the colonizer's language & will have difficulty reading the native literature. Wishes passionately for all natives to switch to the colonizer's language for 'progress'. Angered if someone opposes & deflects all data driven arguments to the contrary. Tries to adopt the colonizer's accent when speaking & is ashamed of the native accent. Looks down upon native accents.

Respects the colonizer's religion & has a poor opinion of one's own native religion. Views the native religion through the colonizer's lens & will resist reversing the gaze. Celebrates colonizer's religious festivals with gusto. Wishes others with enthusiasm on colonizer religious festivals. Avoids celebrating native festivals. Avoids wishing or reciprocating wishes on native festivals. Possibly has adopted the colonizer's religion partially or has fully converted. Evangelizes the colonizer's religion more passionately than the original practitioners.

Adopts the colonizer's dress, mannerisms & habits. Higher the imitation, feels more superior to the native.

Supports the historic colonization of one's country. Feels that the colonizers civilized the barbaric natives & helped the country 'progress'.

Excessively fawns over any attention given by a colonizer's descendant or system (awards, education system etc). Has contempt for any native who is rooted in the native culture & traditions.

Most colonized people will exhibit at least some of these symptoms. More symptoms mean higher mental colonization.

Sunday, October 03, 2021

Slokas with linguistic wizardry

Sarvatobhadra Sloka in 6th century Samskritam epic Kirātārjunīya composed by Bhāravi "good from every direction". The phrase remains the same when you read the verse in all directions. German translation here.

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The Shishupala Vadha is also one of the most metrically complex poems ever constructed. Take this verse, for example.

This is a palindrome that can be read back-to-front, both horizontally and vertically.

“[That army], which relished battle contained allies who brought low the bodes and gaits of their various striving enemies, and in it the cries of the best of mounts contended with musical instruments.”

Other verses can be rearranged to contain hidden messages when read in the form of a lightning bolt, or a drum, for instance.

This is called the most complex and exquisite type of palindrome ever invented called sarvatobhadra, perfect in every direction.

सकारनानारकास-
कायसाददसायका ।
रसाहवा वाहसार-
नादवाददवादना ॥

sakāranānārakāsa-
kāyasādadasāyakā
rasāhavā vāhasāra-
nādavādadavādanā.

sa	kā	ra	nā	nā	ra	kā	sa
kā	ya	sā	da	da	sā	ya	kā
ra	sā	ha	vā	vā	ha	sā	ra
nā	da	vā	da	da	vā	da	nā
(and the lines reversed)
nā	da	vā	da	da	vā	da	nā
ra	sā	ha	vā	vā	ha	sā	ra
kā	ya	sā	da	da	sā	ya	kā
sa	kā	ra	nā	nā	ra	kā	sa

This famous verse, when arranged like a wheel, has the message "This is the Shishupala Vadha, a poem by Magha" hidden in its spokes.

सत्वं मानविशिष्टमाजिरभसादालम्ब्य भव्यः पुरो

लब्धाघक्षयशुद्धिरुद्धरतरश्रीवत्सभूमिर्मुदा ।

मुक्त्वा काममपास्तभीः परमृगव्याधः स नादं हरे-

रेकौघैः समकालमभ्रमुदयी रोपैस्तदा तस्तरे ॥

There are also stanzas written using only one consonant, just to show off:

“Sri Krishna, the giver of every boon, the scourge of the evil-minded, the purifier, the one whose arms can annihilate the wicked who cause suffering to others, shot his pain-causing arrow at the enemy.”

दाददो दुद्ददुद्दादी दाददो दूददीददोः ।

दुद्दादं दददे दुद्दे दादाददददोऽददः ॥

dādado duddaduddādī dādado dūdadīdadoḥ

duddādaṃ dadade dudde dādādadadado’dadaḥ

(Translation:- Sri Krishna, the giver of every boon, the scourge of the evil-minded, the purifier, the one whose arms can annihilate the wicked who cause suffering to others, shot his pain-causing arrow at the enemy.)

44th stanza: each line a palindrome

वारणागगभीरा सा साराभीगगणारवा ।

कारितारिवधा सेना नासेधा वारितारिका ॥

Palindrome

“It is very difficult to face this army which is endowed with elephants as big as mountains. This is a very great army and the shouting of frightened people is heard. It has slain its enemies.”

तं श्रिया घनयानस्तरुचा सारतया तया ।

यातया तरसा चारुस्तनयानघया श्रितं ॥

88th stanza: the two lines are reverse of each other. Called pratiloma (or gatapratyāgata).

The entire 16th chapter, in which Shishupala sends a message to Krishna, can be interpreted in two ways: a humble apology, or a declaration of war:

“I am enraged by not having the chance to pay Krishna what he deserves,” Shishupala says.

https://ramanisblog.in/2014/06/20/sanskrit-poem-draws-a-wheel-sisupala-vadha/

https://twitter.com/PaulMMCooper/status/962334667411206144

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Another Samskritam palindrome Sloka composed by scholar Dyvagyna Surya Pandita in the 14th Century.

तं भूसुतामुक्तिमुदारहासं वन्दे यतो भव्यभवं दयाश्रीः ||१||

श्रीयादवं भव्यभतोयदेवं संहारदामुक्तिमुतासुभूतं ||२||

The 1st line glorifies Rama, when read in reverse (2nd line) glorifies Krishna.

First Line: I bow to the grand Avatara who freed Sita, with deep laughter, the origin of mercy & grandeur spreading everywhere.

Second line: I bow to the Yadava Sri Krishna, who is the moon's son & father, who freed Putana who sought to destroy him, and who pervades the universe.”

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An अर्धभ्रम verse on Devi that can be read both horizontally and vertically.

जय वेदनिधे देवि

यतिलालितयोगदे ।

वेलातीतोदारयोधे

दलितोर्मे सदातनि ॥

जय - victory to you, वेदनिधे - repository of Vedas, देवि - Goddess,यति-लालित-योग-दे - granting us a yogic state that saints aspire for

वेलातीत-उदार-योधे - the soldiers fighting in whose side are great beyond measure, दलित-ऊर्मे - she who has conqered the 6 mental infirmities, सदातनि - eternal

Meaning - Victory to you, O eternal Goddess, repository of Vedas, conferrer of the saint's yogic state, accompanied by soldiers who are great beyond measure, conquerer of the 6 mental infirmities

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Palindrome songs are called "மாலை மாற்று" ( maalai maatru ) in Tamil. Thiru Gnana Sambandar has sung several pathigam ( பதிகம் ) in maalai maatru.

https://youtu.be/zs1lUf2hWY0

http://www.tamilvu.org/tdb/titles_cont/music/html/tirunanasampantar_special.htm

Research: Nambi Sankaran

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In राघवयादवीयम्, every poem (there are 30 poems in the work) conveys the story of Rama read one way and the story of Krishna, read the other way.

There is a work by Pingali Suranna called राघवपाण्डवीयम् which uses uses श्लेषालङ्कर (puns) to convey both the stories of Ramayana and Mahabharata with the same poem i.e., every poem has two meanings and conveys two different stories simultaneously.

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When Rishi Patanjali was stopped by Nandi, he composed a song on Shiva without 'horns' & 'legs' called extended (dIrgham) syllable without Charana & Shringa, teasing Nandi that he could worship Shiva without Nandi's help. This is the Nataraja Stotram.

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Kalidasa once saw a statue of Vyasa. He poked his finger in the belly button, mocking Vyasa as Chaparadhara (one who uses a lot of Cha (meaning 'and') in his composition). His finger gets stuck & he gets posed a difficult Samskritam puzzle that he must solve without using Cha. With Kali's Ashirvadham, he solves it. His finger is unstuck & he leaves a wiser man.

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Friday, September 10, 2021

Notable Ganeshas

Earliest reference to Ganesha is in the Rig Veda 2.23.1

ग॒णानां॑ त्वा ग॒णप॑तिं हवामहे क॒विं क॑वी॒नामु॑प॒मश्र॑वस्तमम्। ज्ये॒ष्ठ॒राजं॒ ब्रह्म॑णां ब्रह्मणस्पत॒ आ नः॑ शृ॒ण्वन्नू॒तिभिः॑ सीद॒ साद॑नम्॥

World's tallest (bronze) Ganesha Vigraha is in Khlong Khuean, Chachoengsao Province, Thailand at 39 m, installed by Thai Princess Soamsawali Phravararajatinuddamat. Popular with Thai Buddhists, worshipped as "Phra Phikanet" (Shri Vignesha). Ganesha is on the logo of Thailand's department of fine arts.

One of the earliest Kushan Ganesha vigrahas in Mathura, holding & eating laddoo/modaka.

Another early Ganesha from Mathura.

Afghanistan's 7th century Ganesha in Gardez. Inscription: This "great and beautiful image of Mahavinayaka" was consecrated by the Shahi King Khingala (the 1st Shahi king). Now at Dargah Pir Rattan Nath, Kabul.

Pedestal says: My lord, the ever beautiful, the magnificent and the handsome little boy of his loving parents.

4th century Ganesha

Dancing Shahi Ganesha

Chaturbhuja marble Shahi Ganesha, 600-800 ACE.

9th century, Punjab Hills

The ancient Ganpatyar temple in Kashmir, India mentioned in Kalhana's Rajataringini. During a raid by Ahmed Shah Abdali Durrani, saved by priests by hiding the Murti in the Vitasta river. Retrieved & consecrated later. Attacked multiple times and continues to be defended, most recently by the CRPF against a stone throwing mob.

Ganesh, 8th century, found at Verinag, Kashmir, India near the source of the Vitasta (Jhelum) river.

Ancient 1100 year old hidden granite Ganesha in Lalitasana at 13000 ft in Dholkal hill, Dantewada, Chattisgarh, India. Discovered in 2012. When tourism increased, was toppled & destroyed into 62 pieces by Maoist Communists in Jan 2017. Restored by ASI.

Sandstone Ganesha, Singhasari era, Java 12th c. CE

Ganesha installed as the presiding deity of Unryuin Temple ( Kyoto, Japan) in 1372.CE by Japanese Emperor Gokogon. Ganesha worshipped by Buddhists in Japan for thousands of years and he was the family deity of Emperors of Northern court. He is also known in Japan by the name 'Kangiten' or 'Vinayakaten'.