From sjayana at yahoo.com Sun Mar 2 16:40:50 2025 From: sjayana at yahoo.com (S Jayanarayanan) Date: Sun, 2 Mar 2025 21:40:50 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [Chaturamnaya] Jagadguru Speaks: Curb Craving, Cultivate Contentment References: <1563437397.3481741.1740951650648.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <1563437397.3481741.1740951650648@mail.yahoo.com> (Around the beginning of the month, a nugget of Wisdom from the Jagadguru may be posted on the Chaturamnaya list : http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/chaturamnaya ) ? ? The srutis that expound our sanatana dharma show man the path of sreyas. Next in importance to the srutis are the smritis, itihasas and puranas. There are a number of useful precepts and morals that man has to know through them.? ? One of them is curbing excess desires. ?An avaricious man with endless desires comes to ruin? is the message often conveyed either directly or indirectly through many illustrations and anecdotes in our scriptures. ? Man can never be happy by submitting himself to the? demands of his throbbing desires. As the fields of sense? gratification and desires are inexhaustible, fulfilling each of? them and then attaining satisfaction is impossible.? ? A desire fulfilled gives rise to a host of new ones. Thus, a? man will always be tormented by the insatiable list, and? peace would elude him till the end. Our scriptures advise? thus:? ? ?? ????????? ?????????????????? ?? ? ??????? | ??? ??????? ?????????? ???????? ?????? ???????? | ? The wise man seeking peace should give up, at the earliest,? those desires which a dissolute person would find it hard to? abandon, and those which do not abate even in the face of infirmity and thus become insatiable by their very nature. It is the essence of prudence to understand the traps in the form of desires before one succumbs to them. May everyone understand this well and lead a peaceful and purposeful life. ? From sjayana at yahoo.com Mon Mar 10 12:46:23 2025 From: sjayana at yahoo.com (S Jayanarayanan) Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2025 16:46:23 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [Chaturamnaya] =?utf-8?q?Stories_from_the_Shiva_Purana_-_3_=28Gu?= =?utf-8?q?nanidhi=E2=80=99s_Salvation=29?= References: <1202379050.1231959.1741625183481.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <1202379050.1231959.1741625183481@mail.yahoo.com> (Continued from the previous post. This mirrors the life of Ajamila in the Srimad Bhagavatam, where an incessant sinner is saved by a small prayer-like action near the end of his life ? which in Ajamila's case was uttering the name of his son, ?Narayana?. https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/shiva-purana-english/d/doc226015.html Section 2.1, Chapter 17) ? ? In the city of Kampilya, there was a sacrificer named Yajnadatta. He knew Vedas and Vedangas. He was honoured by the king. He was a liberal-minded donor and as such his fame had spread far and wide. His son, Gunanidhi, was of a very handsome complexion and shone like the moon?s disc. After the investiture with the sacred thread, he learned all the eight lores over and over again. Yet, unknown to his father he indulged in gambling. He eschewed all Brahminical ways and conduct of life. He was averse to the performance of Sandhya prayers and ceremonial ablutions. He began to speak ill of the Vedas, sacred texts, devas and Brahmins. Although constantly advised thus by his mother to shun his wicked ways, the wicked boy did not abandon them. For, an idiot indulging in vice is beyond redemption. ? The wicked fellow (Gunanidhi) used to lay his hands on whatever he could see in the house, a cloth, a base metal etc. and take it to the gambling den, there to lose the same to his brother gamblers. After wandering aimlessly for a long time, he, the wicked fellow, felt the abandonment keenly and losing all hopes halted at a place. In the meantime a certain devotee of Lord Shiva came out of the city taking with him various articles of offering. He had observed fast on the Shivaratri day. In order to worship Lord Shiva, he was on his way, along with his kinsmen and was carrying different sorts of delightful offerings. ? The devotee entered the temple of Shiva where he worshipped Him in the prescribed manner with sincere devotion. The Brahmin boy, son of Yajnadatta, devoid of his mother and dismissed by his father, was very hungry by this time. He inhaled the sweet fragrance of the sweet puddings and followed the devotee. When the worship was over, the songs and dances of prayer were duly concluded, the devotees lay down and began to sleep. Immediately, the young man entered the sanctum sanctorum of Shiva in order to steal the eatables left there. ? The lamp was burning very dimly. Hence in order to see the puddings clearly, he tore a piece of cloth from his lower garment and put that piece in the lamp as a wick thus making the lamp give a good light. Yajnadatta?s son gleefully took plenty of the sweets offered as eatables to Lord Shiva by the devotees. With sweets in his hands he came out hurriedly. In his hurry, he stamped on some person lying there who woke up immediately. ?Who is that? Who is running away so fast? Catch him.? So shouted the man who woke up in a voice hoarse with fear. The Brahmin boy (Gunanidhi) who ran for life became blind. So he was caught and killed by the watchmen on duty. ? The terrible soldiers of Yama who desired to take him to Samyamani (the abode of Yama), approached him with nooses and clubs in their hands and bound him. In the meantime, the attendants of Shiva with tridents in their hands and tinkling anklets on their arms reached the spot in an aerial chariot in order to take him to Shivaloka. ? Shivaganas said, ?O attendants of Yama, leave this righteous Brahmin alone. He cannot be punished since his sins have been burnt off.? ? On hearing these words of Shiva?s attendants, the attendants of Yama (Yamaganas) became terrified and addressed the attendants of Shiva, ?O Ganas, this is a wicked Brahmin who has broken the traditions and conventions of his family. He has disobeyed his father?s directions and has forsaken truthfulness or purity. He does not offer his Sandhya prayers. He does not take his ceremonial baths regularly.? ? Shiva?s attendants said, ?O attendants of Yama, Shiva?s ideas of Dharma are very subtle. They can be observed only by persons of subtle and keen vision, not by people like you whose aim is only the gross exterior. The shadow of the lamp was falling on the top of the linga and this Brahmin prevented it by adding a wick to the lamp at night, cutting a piece from his lower cloth. Another great merit he derived from listening to the names of Shiva, though casually, O attendants. He witnessed the worship that was being performed duly by a devotee. He was observing a fast and his mind was concentrated too. Let him go to Shivaloka along with us. As Shiva?s follower let him enjoy great pleasures there for sometime.? ? Thus freed from the emissaries of Yama, Gunanidhi became pure-minded and went to Shivaloka along with the attendants of Shiva. Thus even the smallest service rendered to Shiva bears rich fruit in time. Let all persons seeking happiness realise this and continue the worship of Shiva. The story is pleasing to Shiva and grants all desires of the listening devotees. ? ? (To be Continued) From skbhattacharjya at gmail.com Thu Mar 6 13:46:15 2025 From: skbhattacharjya at gmail.com (sunil bhattacharjya) Date: Thu, 6 Mar 2025 10:46:15 -0800 Subject: [Chaturamnaya] [advaitin] Jagadguru Speaks: Curb Craving, Cultivate Contentment In-Reply-To: <1563437397.3481741.1740951650648@mail.yahoo.com> References: <1563437397.3481741.1740951650648.ref@mail.yahoo.com> <1563437397.3481741.1740951650648@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: Dear friends, Can I post an inquiry? I was given to understand that Dakshinamnaya math, established by Adi Shankara, was originally in Shimoga in Karnataka. However, about seven hundred (700) years ago, there was an attack by the muslim army. That is why a branch math in a more secure place*:* Srngeri was established, with the liberal help of the local king. The old Shimoga math still stands today, in Shimoga. I had the good fortune of visiting both the Shimoga math and the Tunga-Shringeri math. If anybody has more historical details, will he like to share that with us? Secondly, the river passing by Shimoga math was called Bhdra-Tunga, in the Mahabharata times, as the Mahabharata does mention 'Bhadra-tuga' river'. Does anybody have any information as to when the name of the river was changed to 'Tunga-Bhadra? Kind regards, Sunil K. Bhattacharjya On Sun, Mar 2, 2025 at 1:40?PM 'S Jayanarayanan' via advaitin < advaitin at googlegroups.com> wrote: > (Around the beginning of the month, a nugget of Wisdom from the Jagadguru > may be posted > on the Chaturamnaya list : > http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/chaturamnaya ) > > > The srutis that expound our sanatana dharma show man the > path of sreyas. Next in importance to the srutis are the smritis, > itihasas and puranas. There are a number of useful precepts and > morals that man has to know through them. > > One of them is curbing excess desires. ?An avaricious man > with endless desires comes to ruin? is the message often > conveyed either directly or indirectly through many > illustrations and anecdotes in our scriptures. > > Man can never be happy by submitting himself to the > demands of his throbbing desires. As the fields of sense > gratification and desires are inexhaustible, fulfilling each of > them and then attaining satisfaction is impossible. > > A desire fulfilled gives rise to a host of new ones. Thus, a > man will always be tormented by the insatiable list, and > peace would elude him till the end. Our scriptures advise > thus: > > ?? ????????? ?????????????????? ?? ? ??????? | > ??? ??????? ?????????? ???????? ?????? ???????? | > > The wise man seeking peace should give up, at the earliest, > those desires which a dissolute person would find it hard to > abandon, and those which do not abate even in the face of > infirmity and thus become insatiable by their very nature. > It is the essence of prudence to understand the traps in > the form of desires before one succumbs to them. > May everyone understand this well and lead a peaceful > and purposeful life. > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "advaitin" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to advaitin+unsubscribe at googlegroups.com. > To view this discussion visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/advaitin/1563437397.3481741.1740951650648%40mail.yahoo.com > . > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From v.subrahmanian at gmail.com Mon Mar 10 12:57:20 2025 From: v.subrahmanian at gmail.com (V Subrahmanian) Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2025 22:27:20 +0530 Subject: [Chaturamnaya] =?utf-8?q?=5Badvaitin=5D_Stories_from_the_Shiva_P?= =?utf-8?q?urana_-_3_=28Gunanidhi=E2=80=99s_Salvation=29?= In-Reply-To: <1202379050.1231959.1741625183481@mail.yahoo.com> References: <1202379050.1231959.1741625183481.ref@mail.yahoo.com> <1202379050.1231959.1741625183481@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: Thanks for sharing this story. Never knew such a story was there. The parallel with Ajamila is very well brought out. regards subbu On Mon, Mar 10, 2025 at 10:16?PM 'S Jayanarayanan' via advaitin < advaitin at googlegroups.com> wrote: > (Continued from the previous post. This mirrors the life of Ajamila in the > Srimad Bhagavatam, where an incessant sinner is saved > by a small prayer-like action near the end of his life ? which in > Ajamila's case was uttering the name of his son, ?Narayana?. > > https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/shiva-purana-english/d/doc226015.html > Section 2.1, Chapter 17) > > > In the city of Kampilya, there was a sacrificer named Yajnadatta. He knew > Vedas and Vedangas. He was honoured by the king. > He was a liberal-minded donor and as such his fame had spread far and > wide. His son, Gunanidhi, was of a very handsome > complexion and shone like the moon?s disc. After the investiture with the > sacred thread, he learned all the eight lores over > and over again. Yet, unknown to his father he indulged in gambling. He > eschewed all Brahminical ways and conduct of life. > He was averse to the performance of Sandhya prayers and ceremonial > ablutions. He began to speak ill of the Vedas, sacred texts, > devas and Brahmins. Although constantly advised thus by his mother to shun > his wicked ways, the wicked boy did not abandon them. > For, an idiot indulging in vice is beyond redemption. > > The wicked fellow (Gunanidhi) used to lay his hands on whatever he could > see in the house, a cloth, a base metal etc. and take it to > the gambling den, there to lose the same to his brother gamblers. After > wandering aimlessly for a long time, he, the wicked fellow, > felt the abandonment keenly and losing all hopes halted at a place. In the > meantime a certain devotee of Lord Shiva came out of the > city taking with him various articles of offering. He had observed fast on > the Shivaratri day. In order to worship Lord Shiva, he was > on his way, along with his kinsmen and was carrying different sorts of > delightful offerings. > > The devotee entered the temple of Shiva where he worshipped Him in the > prescribed manner with sincere devotion. The Brahmin boy, > son of Yajnadatta, devoid of his mother and dismissed by his father, was > very hungry by this time. He inhaled the sweet fragrance > of the sweet puddings and followed the devotee. When the worship was over, > the songs and dances of prayer were duly concluded, > the devotees lay down and began to sleep. Immediately, the young man > entered the sanctum sanctorum of Shiva in order to steal the > eatables left there. > > The lamp was burning very dimly. Hence in order to see the puddings > clearly, he tore a piece of cloth from his lower garment and put > that piece in the lamp as a wick thus making the lamp give a good light. > Yajnadatta?s son gleefully took plenty of the sweets offered > as eatables to Lord Shiva by the devotees. With sweets in his hands he > came out hurriedly. In his hurry, he stamped on some person > lying there who woke up immediately. ?Who is that? Who is running away so > fast? Catch him.? So shouted the man who woke up in a voice > hoarse with fear. The Brahmin boy (Gunanidhi) who ran for life became > blind. So he was caught and killed by the watchmen on duty. > > The terrible soldiers of Yama who desired to take him to Samyamani (the > abode of Yama), approached him with nooses and clubs in their > hands and bound him. In the meantime, the attendants of Shiva with > tridents in their hands and tinkling anklets on their arms reached > the spot in an aerial chariot in order to take him to Shivaloka. > > Shivaganas said, ?O attendants of Yama, leave this righteous Brahmin > alone. He cannot be punished since his sins have been burnt off.? > > On hearing these words of Shiva?s attendants, the attendants of Yama > (Yamaganas) became terrified and addressed the attendants of Shiva, > ?O Ganas, this is a wicked Brahmin who has broken the traditions and > conventions of his family. He has disobeyed his father?s directions > and has forsaken truthfulness or purity. He does not offer his Sandhya > prayers. He does not take his ceremonial baths regularly.? > > Shiva?s attendants said, ?O attendants of Yama, Shiva?s ideas of Dharma > are very subtle. They can be observed only by persons of subtle > and keen vision, not by people like you whose aim is only the gross > exterior. The shadow of the lamp was falling on the top of the linga > and this Brahmin prevented it by adding a wick to the lamp at night, > cutting a piece from his lower cloth. Another great merit he derived > from listening to the names of Shiva, though casually, O attendants. He > witnessed the worship that was being performed duly by a devotee. > He was observing a fast and his mind was concentrated too. Let him go to > Shivaloka along with us. As Shiva?s follower let him enjoy great > pleasures there for sometime.? > > Thus freed from the emissaries of Yama, Gunanidhi became pure-minded and > went to Shivaloka along with the attendants of Shiva. Thus even > the smallest service rendered to Shiva bears rich fruit in time. Let all > persons seeking happiness realise this and continue the worship > of Shiva. The story is pleasing to Shiva and grants all desires of the > listening devotees. > > > (To be Continued) > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "advaitin" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to advaitin+unsubscribe at googlegroups.com. > To view this discussion visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/advaitin/1202379050.1231959.1741625183481%40mail.yahoo.com > . > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From bhaskar.yr at hitachienergy.com Tue Mar 11 00:52:57 2025 From: bhaskar.yr at hitachienergy.com (Bhaskar YR) Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2025 04:52:57 +0000 Subject: [Chaturamnaya] =?utf-8?q?=5Badvaitin=5D_Stories_from_the_Shiva_P?= =?utf-8?q?urana_-_3_=28Gunanidhi=E2=80=99s_Salvation=29?= In-Reply-To: References: <1202379050.1231959.1741625183481.ref@mail.yahoo.com> <1202379050.1231959.1741625183481@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: Thanks for sharing this story. Never knew such a story was there. The parallel with Ajamila is very well brought out. praNAms Hare Krishna Yes stories like this would boost our bhakti, shraddha, chittaikaagrata etc. But stories like this should not motivate us in such a way that ?do whatever you want just visit temple once in a while without any certain intention?. Here guNanidhi is a habitual offender, he had an aversion to do any vaidika karma and he was openly indulged in the blasphemous acts. And when he was in the temple and increasing the light by using his cloth his intention was just to ?steal? not even an iota of bhakti, not even an iota of shiva naama smaraNaM in his mind. If it is just because of his ?external? activities brought him the kaivalyaM then hardly any importance can be given to internal purity. The parallel to this story, I heard one story in which paramount importance given to the internal purity / thought process even though physical body engaged in noble or questionable activities. A priest and a flesh trading ( prostitute) woman who constantly thinking about each other?s activities. The priest even though he was in temple and physically doing the daily pooja to deity, chanting Stotra/mantra etc. he was constantly thinking/observing about that jarred woman?s beauty, activities, her visitors etc whereas that woman even though physically engaged in sexual activities constantly thinking about the nobility of priest, serene atmosphere of temple and focusing her ears on mantra and Stotra-s recited at temple. After their death woman got the nArAyaNa lOka and that priest got the naraka vAsa ? Even the second story also should not prompt us to think : ?externally do whatever you want but mentally keep divine thoughts? !!?? These stories are just arthavAda, eulogizes some acts to cultivate bhakti but should not be taken and followed literally. Just my opinion. Hari Hari Hari Bol!!! bhaskar -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From sjayana at yahoo.com Fri Mar 21 12:49:31 2025 From: sjayana at yahoo.com (S Jayanarayanan) Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2025 16:49:31 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [Chaturamnaya] Stories from the Shiva Purana - 4 (The Yama Gita) References: <1333291357.196437.1742575771815.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <1333291357.196437.1742575771815@mail.yahoo.com> (Continuation of the Gunanidhi episode, with the warning that Yama gives to his attendants about capturing the Devotees of Shiva: https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/shiva-purana-english/d/doc226016.html Section 2.1, Chapter 18) ? ? On hearing the words of Shiva?s attendants, the emissaries of Yama returned to Yama?s abode. They narrated to Yama whatever the messengers of Shiva told them about Dharma. ? ? Dharmaraja (Yama) said:? ? ?O Ganas, listen attentively to what I say. Whatever I direct you to do, you shall do with loving devotion. You shall avoid those persons who bear on their forehead the mark of Tripundra besmeared with white ashes. Never shall they be brought here. You shall avoid those persons who regularly dust their body with white ashes. Never shall they be brought here. You shall avoid those persons who assume the garb and features of Shiva whatever their reason may be. Never shall they be brought here. You shall avoid those persons who wear Rudrakshas and keep matted hair. Never shall they be brought here. You shall avoid those persons who imitate the dress or the features of Shiva, even for their livelihood. Never shall they be brought here. You shall avoid those persons who imitate the dress and features of Shiva even for the purpose of deception. Never shall they be brought here.? ? ? Yama thus commanded his servants. They too agreed to follow his command and remained silent with the flickering smile on their lips. ? ------------------ ? Compare the above instructions of Yama Dharmaraja with an equivalent decree in the Vishnu Purana, called the ?Yama Gita?: ? https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/vishnu-purana-wilson/d/doc115984.html ? (Book 3, Chapter 7 of Vishnu Purana) ? Yama, beholding one of his servants with his noose in his hand, whispered to him, and said, ?Keep clear of the worshippers of Madhusudana. I am the lord of all men, the Vaishnavas excepted. I was appointed by Brahma, who is reverenced by all the immortals, to restrain mankind, and regulate the consequences of good and evil in the universe. But he who obeys Hari as his spiritual guide, is here independent of me; for Vishnu is of power to govern and control me. As gold is one substance still, however diversified as bracelets, tiaras, or earrings, so Hari is one and the same, although modified in the forms of gods, animals, and man...He who through holy knowledge diligently adores the lotus foot of that Hari, who is reverenced by the gods, is released from all the bonds of sin; and you must avoid him as you would avoid fire fed with oil...Do you proceed afar off from those in whose hearts Ananta is enshrined; from him whose sanctified understanding conceives the supreme male and ruler, Vasudeva, as one with his votary, and with all this world. Avoid those holy persons who are constantly invoking the lotus-eyed Vasudeva, Vishnu, the supporter of the earth, the immortal wielder of the discus and the shell, the asylum of the world. Come not into the sight of him in whose heart the imperishable soul resides, for he is defended from my power by the discus of his Deity: he is designed for another world (for the heaven of Vishnu).? ? ? (To be Continued)