Krishna and Akrura!

Kamsa, the self-proclaimed tyrant king of Mathura sent rakshasas time and again to Gokula and Vrindavan to annihilate Krishna, but Krishna very easily destroyed them all. Furious that all his plans and schemes had failed, Kamsa decided to bring Krishna to Mathura. He conceived of a plan to destroy Krishna. Kamsa arranged for a Dhanur Yagna to invoke Lord Shiva and earn His grace and blessings to win over his enemies. He arranged for wrestlers to challenge Krishna. He made sure a wild elephant was there at the entrance of the Yagnasala ready to trample Krishna as He enters. Kamsa then summoned the wise and elderly Akrura and sent an invitation to Krishna and His elder brother Balarama to attend the Yagna. Akrura saw the irony behind this. Till now Kamsa was sending rakshasas all the way to Vrindavan to kill Krishna. Now, as his end was approaching, Kamsa himself, without his knowledge, was sending an invitation and making all arrangements and preparations to receive Krishna at whose hands he was to die, right in his own territory! Lord’s ways are unique! Destiny ultimately has its own mysterious ways of fulfilling itself! Akrura started for Vrindavan. He was very happy – he was going to have darshan of the Lord! 

In the meantime, Sage Narada came to meet Krishna in Vrindavan. In the divine presence of the Lord, Sage Narada saw the entire happenings of the future unfurling themselves in front of him! Starting from “the Lord slaying Kamsa in the immediate future to becoming the charioteer of Arjuna in the kurukshetra war later on” – he had a glimpse of everything! Rest assured of the purpose of the Lord’s Avatar, Narada offered his prostrations to the Lord and left.

On reaching Vrindavan, Akrura saw the footprints of Sri Krishna on the sacred soil of Vrindavan! He got down from his chariot and applied the sacred dust on his forehead. He was received by Nanda. The moment he saw Krishna and Balarama, he prostrated at their feet. Totally overwhelmed, Akrura wept with joy at his blessed fortune of the Lord’s darshan! The next day, Akrura left Vrindavan along with Krishna and Balarama. As they were travelling to Mathura, a doubt crossed the mind of Akrura, “Can these two young, delicate boys – Krishna and Balarama, really challenge the mighty Kamsa? Is it possible? Will they be able to accomplish this mission of destroying the tyrant Kamsa and redeem Mathura and its people from his dictatorship?” Krishna understood what was going on in Akrura’s mind. Both the brothers looked at each other and smiled! The Lord had to dispel Akrura’s doubt….

They reached the banks of river Yamuna. Akrura got down from the chariot to perform his mid-day sandhya. When he took a dip in the waters, he beheld Krishna and Balarama in the waters. He was astonished at the vision because both the brothers were seated in the chariot. He immediately rose up from the waters and looked towards the chariot. Sure enough, he saw Krishna and Balarama seated in the chariot! He was puzzled. To check whether the first vision was true or a mere hallucination, Akrura again plunged into the waters. 

This time he saw Lord Vishnu reclining on Adisesha, blue in colour, clad in yellow, with sankha, chakra, gada and padma in his four hands. He shone resplendent with gem-studded golden ornaments, the shining kaustubha and the fragrant Vaijayanti garland. He was attended to by the divine gods, gandharvas, the kumaras and devotees like Prahlada, Narada and others. Bhagavan was surrounded by the Goddess of Beauty and Fortune (Sri), Goddess of Nutrition (Pushti), Goddess of Speech (Saraswati), Goddess of Splendour (Kanti), Goddess of Glory (Kirti), Goddess of Contentment (Tushti), Goddess of Knowledge (Vidya), Goddess of Energy (Sakti) and others. Extremely overjoyed at the unique and auspicious darshan of the Lord in full Glory, Akrura prayed fervently to the Lord. He realized the Omnipotency of Lord Sri Krishna. Akrura’s doubts vanished like mist melts at the very touch of the early morning sun’s rays.

The Lord withdrew His divine form. Akrura emerged out of the waters. Overwhelmed at the divine beautiful vision of the Lord – rare and unique, Akrura reached the chariot. 
Still revelling in the joyous experience of the Divine Vision, Akrura approached Krishna and Balarama. Krishna smilingly asked him, “You seem to have had an unearthly wondrous experience in the waters of Yamuna, what is it?” Akrura prayerfully replied, “O Lord, whatever wonders that exist in all the worlds, they all exist in You alone, who pervades and permeates the entire universe. What wonders can remain unseen by me, when I am directly looking at the Wonder of all wonders, Your Divine Form!” With a mind calm and serene, totally free from anxiety and doubts, Akrura silently drove the chariot to Mathura. It was Akrura, the Lord’s devotee, who had the rare and unique privilege of bringing Sri Krishna and Balarama to Mathura! 

“Deva deva Jagannatha Punyashravanakeerthana; Yaduttamottamashlokaya Narayana Namostute!” ~ Akrura’s invocation (Srimad Bhagavatham)

For updates of posts on Telegram join the group : https://t.me/BharateeyaSamskruti

On whatsapp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/Ce7yZ5yAAq3C3k9pYHsA7T

For Talks on Lord Krishna Check the Youtube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLa-mk1aBgQPSV3wH1_hkMgPpQ8Uz1c1TS

Bharatiya Katha Vaibhava – Vol 1 [ Books for children] : Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.in/Bharatiya-Katha-Vaibhava-1-Shreedarshan/dp/9390011663/

Bharatiya Katha Vaibhava – Vol 2 [ Books for children] : Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.in/Bharatiya-Katha-Vaibhava-2-Shreedarshan/dp/9390640199/

Bharatiya Katha Vaibhava – Vol 3 [ Books for children] : Amazon Link:https://www.amazon.in/Bharatiya-Katha-Vaibhava-Shreedarshan-K/dp/9390640946/

[For bulk order of books and for discounts please contact : naadopaasana18@gmail.com or WhatsApp: 9739003467]

Advertisement

Sri Sankara Bhagavadpada!

Sankara was born to Aryamba and Sivaguru in Kalady. He exhibited extraordinary intelligence and mastered all that was taught to him and even composed – Balabodha Sangraha. Even at that young age, Sankara wanted to embrace sanyasa. However his mother did not give him permission, but someday he hoped that his desire would be granted. One day when he was taking a dip in the river, a crocodile caught hold of his leg and started pulling him into the river. He cried out to his mother who was on the banks of the river for help, but she was helpless. At that moment, Sankara cried out and told his mother that now he was in the jaws of death and nothing could be done. He pleaded with her to atleast grant him permission to take on the sanyasa robes at this crucial juncture. The desperate mother agreed. Sankara loudly chanted “sanyastoham…sanyastoham…sanyastoham” (I have renounced). Miraculously the crocodile released its hold on his legs!

Sankara came out of the waters, and he requested her to give him permission to go in search of his Guru, now that she had allowed him to take sanyas. The mother agreed to let him go with a promise from him that he will be there by her side at the time of her death. Sankara promised her that he would be there at the time of her death.

Just before Sankara left, he had a vision of Lord Achyutha who directed him to go to the ascetic Sri Govindapadacharya, the disciple of the great Sri Gaudapadacharya of the Mandukya Karika fame at Omkaranath. Sankara composed tha Achyutha Ashtakam in praise of the Lord during this time.

Sankara walked Northward. As he was travelling, he came across a place where he saw something astonishing. A huge cobra had spread its hood like an umbrella over a frog to protect it from the scorching heat of the sun. Creatures who are inimical by nature were in harmony and peace with each other at this place! He concluded that it must be because of a great tapasvi’s presence somewhere around. It was the place where Maharshi Rishyasringa had performed tapas. Sankara immediately decided that if ever in future he established a math it would be at this sacred place. Years later, he established the Sringeri Math over here. 
Walking ahead, Sankara came to the banks of river Narmada. Sri Govindapadacharya lived in a cave very close by. He searched for the Mahatma and finally found him in meditation in a cave. Coming out of his meditation, yet with closed eyes, the Acharya asked him (Sankara) who he was. Sankara composed a beautiful hymn, known as Dasa Sloki expressing his perfect identity with the Supreme Reality. Sri Govindapadacharya opened his eyes and saw in front of him a young realized soul prostrating at his feet. The Master was filled with joy. Sri Govindapadacharya accepted Sankara as his disciple. The young ascetic stayed there with his Guru for three years and mastered all the scriptures.

Once during the rainy season, when Sri Govindapadacharya was meditating in the cave, there was sudden flash-floods in the river Narmada. The waters kept rising and rising and threatened to enter the cave, and disturb the Master who was in deep samadhi. At that time, Sankara placed his kamandalu at the entrance of the cave saying that it would absorb the waters into itself. As the waters rose and reached the kamandalu, the flash-flood immediately subsided and in a couple of minutes everything was back to normal. The other disciples were wonderstruck at Sankara’s feat and narrated it to the Master later on. Supremely happy at his disciple devotion and extraordinary achievement, Sri Govindapadacharya blessed him saying, “just as you contained the flood waters in the kamandalu, similarly you should write commentaries on the scriptures which will carry the essence of all the Vedas. This will bestow upon you eternal glory”. Sankara prostrated at his Master’s feet. To test the student’s calibre, Govindapadacharya asked Sankara to write a commentary on Vishnu Sahasranama – his first ever commentary. The teacher was extremely pleased with Sankara’s work. 

Sankara was sent to Kashi to invoke Lord Vishwanatha’s grace and wait for further instructions. Lord Vishwanatha blessed him and directed him to write commentaries on all the sacred scriptures. Many disciples reached him to pursue their vedantic studies. His disciples reverentially addressed him as SANKARACHARYA. 

Sankaracharya then decided to go to Badarikashram. It is here that he wrote the commentaries on the Brahma Sutras, the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Geeta which are known as Prasthana Traya. Later Bhagavan Veda Vyasa blessed Sankara with an extension of another sixteen years (he was sixteen years at that time). Sankara extensively travelled from place to place across the length and breadth of the country to establish the supremacy of Advaita Philosophy and adorned the Sarvagnya Peeta – the Throne of Omniscience. He composed beautiful Hymns on all the principle deities and authored books on the fundamentals of Advaita Philosophy. He organised the Dashanami Sampradaya for the monastic order and unified the Sanmatha tradition of worship. In spite of the various different traditions, customs and rituals followed by the people, Sankaracharya with his lofty vision and zealous missionary successfully brought about integration amongst the people – indeed, a UNIFIED CULTURAL REVIVAL in BHARAT! NATIONAL INTEGRATION through SPIRITUALITY!! 

“Jaya Jaya Sankara! Hara Hara Sankara! Hara Hara Sankara! Jaya Jaya Sankara!!”

For updates of posts on Telegram join the group : https://t.me/BharateeyaSamskruti

On whatsapp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/Ce7yZ5yAAq3C3k9pYHsA7T

Bharatiya Katha Vaibhava – 2 : https://www.zorbabooks.com/store/children/bharatiya-katha-vaibhav-2/

Bhasmasura : The Intellect!

Vrukasura undertook intense tapas to propitiate Lord Shiva. Pleased with his austerity, the Lord appeared before him and asked him what he wanted. Vrukasura asked for the boon of “fire-touch” — anything that he lays his hand on should gets burnt! Lord Shiva granted him the boon, because of which he became known as BHASMASURA. The asura decided to test the efficacy of the boon and proceeded to place his outstretched hand on Lord Shiva’s head. Knowing the unfailing power of his boon, Shiva started running with Bhasmasura following him. Sankara reached Vaikunta. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Lord Vishnu with the help of his Yoga-maya assumed the form of a young brahmachari and appeared before Vrukasura. With the power of his speech and art of communication, Lord Vishnu convinced Bhasmasura to place his hand on his own head. Overwhelmed by the Lord’s Maya, the asura followed the Lord’s advice and placed his hand on his own head and reduced himself to ash (bhasma).

Significance: Bhasmasura represents the human INTELLECT. The extroverted, out-going, objective-knowledge seeking INTELLECT seeks, searches, analysis, probes, investigates the entire outer world of things and beings. And whatever it is trying to understand it can do so only by studying it in “parts”. The WHOLE is investigated and understood by studying it in PARTS — hence the intellect breaks, dissects, divides, differentiates……

This intellect, very efficient in dissecting, analysing and studying the WHOLE problem through PARTS, now wants to “know and realize” Shiva-tattva – the very “power” that lends dynamism to the intellect to function. The more the intellect tries to reach out to the Shiva-tattva, the more IT seems to move away from the intellect. This is represented by Bhasmasura with outstretched hands running behind Lord Shiva. Lord Vishnu as the brahmachari represents the Guru, the embodiment of spiritual knowledge, who comes into the seeker’s life and advises him to turn inward – represented by the hand moving not outward but towards oneself. This represents inner contemplation.

The intellect is transcended at that point and the seeker realises intuitively that what he was searching for outside – the Shiva-tattva – is he himself. In the ‘”white heat of meditation”, in the “fire of knowledge” invoked within himself, the whole world of plurality dissolves away. When anything is burnt, bhasma (ash) is the residue. What is left behind after transcending the intellect is the One Undifferentiated, Undivided, Pure Shiva-tattva — the Absolute Existence which lends existence to the entire world of things and beings! This is Mukti, Enlightenment — the real and true Glory (Vibhuti) of a Man of Realization!

For updates of posts on Telegram join the group : https://t.me/BharateeyaSamskruti

On whatsapp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/Ce7yZ5yAAq3C3k9pYHsA7T

Bharatiya Katha Vaibhava – Vol 1 [ Books for children] : Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.in/Bharatiya-Katha-Vaibhava-1-Shreedarshan/dp/9390011663/

Bharatiya Katha Vaibhava – Vol 2 [ Books for children] : Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.in/Bharatiya-Katha-Vaibhava-2-Shreedarshan/dp/9390640199/

Bharatiya Katha Vaibhava – Vol 3 [ Books for children] : Amazon Link:https://www.amazon.in/Bharatiya-Katha-Vaibhava-Shreedarshan-K/dp/9390640946/

[For bulk order of books and for discounts please contact : naadopaasana18@gmail.com or WhatsApp: 9739003467]

Nandanar: Devotee for whose sake Nandi moved!

Nandanar was a great devotee of Lord Shiva. He is considered as one among the 63 Nayanars (Shaivite Saints). Nandanar belonged to a small village known as Adhanur in Tamilnadu. He belonged to the community that made percussion instruments and in those days they were looked down by the upper community. After his daily work, he would spent most of his time singing the glories of the Lord.

Nandanar once visited Lord Shiva’s temple at Thiruppunkoor. Since he was not allowed to enter the temple, he stood outside and prayed fervently to the Lord. He longed to have darshan of the Lord from far, but the huge Nandi was right in front of the Lord and was obstructing his view. Nandanar prayed to Nandi to move a little so that he can have a glimpse of the Lord. His prayers were answered and Nandi moved a little so that Nandanar could have the darshan of Lord Shiva! Even to this day, Nandi is tilted slightly to one side in this temple!

Nandanar cherished a deep desire to go to Chidambaram and have the darshan of Lord Nataraja. Every day people would ask him when he planned to visit Chidambaram. But the thought of not being allowed to enter the temple made him postpone his visit and he would tell people that he will “go tomorrow”. Every day he would tell people, “I will go tomorrow”. All the people started mocking him. They concluded that he would never go to Chidambaram and started calling him “tirunalaipoovar” meaning “one who will go tomorrow!”

One fine day, having made up his mind, Nandanar asked his landlord for permission to go to Chidambaram. The landlord asked Nandanar to first plough his agricultural land and only then he would give him permission. It was a huge task which would take days. Nandanar prayed to the Lord and started ploughing the field. Late into the night, he was exhausted and fell off to sleep. When he woke up next morning the entire field had been ploughed and was ready for sowing. The landlord was surprised and realized the greatness of Nandanar and immediately allowed him to go to Chidambaram. 

Overwhelmed by the Lord’s grace, Nandanar happily proceeded to Chidambaram, but he was not allowed to enter the temple. Singing the glories of Lord Sankara, he went round the holy city a number of times. Lord Shiva decided that it was time the world realized the greatness of Nandanar and his supreme devotion. The Lord appeared in Nandanar’s dream and beckoned him to enter the temple. Next day, in the morning, Nandanar joyously started walking towards the temple. At the temple, the priests had lit up the huge Vedic fire for a yagna. With a mind soaked in single-pointed devotion to the Lord and oblivion of the surroundings, Nandanar walked straight into the fire-kund which was right in front of him. Everyone around were stunned at the sight of Nandanar entering the homa-kund. But nothing happened to him! He came out of the fire unscathed. Nandanar’s physical form was shining like burnished gold! The presence of an inexplicable divine aura around him was evident. The priests realized the greatness of the Lord’s devotee and respectfully escorted him into the sanctum of the Lord. In the presence of all those assembled, that very moment, Nandanar merged and disappeared to become one with Parameshwara: the Lord-of-his-heart! 

For updates of posts on Telegram join the group : https://t.me/BharateeyaSamskruti

On whatsapp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/Ce7yZ5yAAq3C3k9pYHsA7T

For Talks on Lord Shiva and Significance of Shiva Check the Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLa-mk1aBgQPQR0qtgX_KInYdqG_MKjV2L

Bharatiya Katha Vaibhava – Vol 1 [ Books for children] : Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.in/Bharatiya-Katha-Vaibhava-1-Shreedarshan/dp/9390011663/

Bharatiya Katha Vaibhava – Vol 2 [ Books for children] : Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.in/Bharatiya-Katha-Vaibhava-2-Shreedarshan/dp/9390640199/

Bharatiya Katha Vaibhava – Vol 3 [ Books for children] : Amazon Link:https://www.amazon.in/Bharatiya-Katha-Vaibhava-Shreedarshan-K/dp/9390640946/

[For bulk order of books and for discounts please contact : naadopaasana18@gmail.com or WhatsApp: 9739003467]