Nature of True Bhakti

ACHARYA’S CALL – VOLUME 1:
Taken from official website of Kamakoti Peetam. www.kamakoti.org
Nature of True Bhakti
True Bhakti or devotion is that condition of a devotee’s mind when it is unable to bear even a
moment’s separation from the shelter of God, and when even if is forcibly withdrawn from that
shelter, by force of circumstances, it struggles and rushes back and attaches itself to God, like a
needle to a magnet.
Ankolam nija beeja-santatih ayaskaantopalam

soochika,
Sadhvee naija vibhum lataa kshitiruham sindhuh sarid
Vallabham;
Praapnoteeha yathaa tathaa pasupateh

paadaaravindadvyam,
Chetovrittir-upetya tishthati sadaa saa

bhaktirityuchyate.
This verse occurs in Sivaananda Lahari, and in it, Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada has explained what
real bhakti is. The relationship between the devotee and Isavara is explained with reference to
five examples. They are: the tree known as ankolam and its seeds; the lodestone and the needle; a
chaste woman and her husband; a creeper and a tree; and a river and the ocean. The ankola tree
(azhinchil maram in Tamil) is found in the forest. It is that when its fruit falls to the ground, the
seeds, liberated from the fruit by some compelling force within, move close to the trunk of the
tree, gradually climb up, and get inseparable attached to the tree. During my travels, I was shown
this tree in a forest. I saw the seeds sticking to the trunk of the tree, though I was not able to
observe the actual movement of the seeds from the ground to the tree. The example of the seeds
which fall away form the tree struggling back and attaching themselves to the tree, is denoted by
the words, ankolam nija beeja santatih.
The next example given is ayakaantopalam soochika .Ayaskaanta means magnet, upalam means
stone, and soochika means needle. When a needle is brought near a lodestone, it rushes towards
the stone and gets itself attached to it. Similarly, the mind of a devotee rushes towards God and
finds a heaven there. The next example is that of a saadhvee, a pativrata or chaste woman and
her husband, is significant. The literal meaning of vibhuh is, one who pervades everywhere. The
idea Sri Sankara wants to convey by using the term vibhuh is that a true pativrata has only the
thought of her husband uppermost in her mind, all the time, whatever other objects may be in
front of her eyes. She is so saturated with the thought of her husband that she sees her husband,
whichever way she may turn. So also a bhakta see only God in everything around him.
The example of Lataa creeper, and kshitiruha tree, is next given to indicate the mind’s frantic
efforts to get itself attached to Isvara like a creeper to a tree. As a creeper grows, its shoots sway
hither and thither, in an attempt to get a hold on something to which they can attach themselves.
The moment the shoots come into contact with a neighbouring tree, the creeper winds itself
around that tree, get itself attached to the tree. The mind of the devotee is constantly in search of
Isvara, and the moment He is realised, it attaches itself to Him inseparably.
The last example is that of the sindhuh, river and SaridvallabhaOcean. A river has a small origin
on a mountain. In the intial stage of its course, which can be compared to our own childhood, the
river is noisy, plays about by jumping from one rock to another, and is resless and so flows fast.
Its speed reflects its anxiety to join the ocean. When nearing the sea, the river becomes calm and
placid. This state can be compared to a woman’s humility, shyness, and serenity in the presence
of her husband. The ocean, being a loving husband, rushes forward to receive the river in her
arms. That is why the river water is saltish for some distance inland from its mouth. Similarly,
the restless soul finds serenity when it reaches the proximity of God, and finally gets engulfed in
that ocean of Supreme Bliss.
Sri Sankara has expounded advaita tatva both in the main them of the verse and in the
illustrating similies. Water from the sea evaporates into cloud and returns to the earth as rain.
The rainwater goes back to the sea as rivers. In that way a circle is completed. The river and the
sea, though apparently two, are in reality one. By the process of evaporation, the volume
increased by the inflow of river waters. In the same way, everything in this universe is part of
God. He is everything and everything ultimately merges in Him. He is Full always, and His
fullness is in no way affected either by creation or by the merger in Him of the created beings.
The human soul, jeevatma, is restless like a creeper, in search of a support to sustain it, and eager
to rejoin its source, like the river is to rejoin the ocean, its ultimate source. As the jeeva gets to be
more and more proximate to God, it obtains saanti or serenity, like that which the waters of a
river attain near the river’s confluence with the sea. The bhakta, who eventually becomes a jnani
see only Isvara in everything, even as a pativarata thinks only of her husband and lord. When the
should finally finds its haven in the Paramaatma, it unites with the Paramaatma, like creeper
bugging a tree, or a needle flying to and getting attached with a magnet. If, for any reason, the
jeeva is forcibly detached from Isvara, it becomes restless, struggles and eventually gets back to
Isvara.
When our devotion to God is motivated by a desire to secure some earthly benefit, it ceases to be
real bhakti; it becomes a barter. But when our bhakti is for our spiritual elevation, we attain the
saanti of the river when it is near its Lord, the Ocean. The devotee begins his quest for bliss with
devotion to One, who, he thinks is outside him. When the devotion is selfless, that is, when the
quest is a quest of his own real self, the dvaita bhaava (the duality of God and himself) changes
into advaita bhaava, the oneness of himself and God. He surrenders himself absolutely and
unreservedly to the Paramaatma, and becomes one with that Only paadaaravinda dvayam
Chetovrithirupetya tishthati. We must all strive to develop the kind of devotion to Isvara
indicated in the verse from Sivaananda Lahari I have quoted in the beginning.
February 8, 1958NEED TO WORSHIP DIVINE MOTHER
In this world, we mortals are so overwhelmed with ajnaana (ignorance) that though we know a
thing to be wrong, we are helplessly impelled to do it. Ajnaana is a disease for which jnaana
(enlightenment) is the only cure. The Divine Mother alone is capable of bestowing this milk of
jnaana (jnaanappal in Tamil), removing our ignorance, and satiating the hunger of our atma
(soul). A hungry child thinks of its mother and the milk she will give and yearns for both.
Similarly, we must yearn for the grace of the Divine Mother, so that we can obtain from Her the
milk of enlightenment. For that purpose, we must be constantly thinking of Her and praying to
Her.
The time available to us, after attending to our prescribed and essential duties, must be utilised in
contemplation of the Divine Mother. If we do not switch over our mind in Her direction, when
we have nothing else to do, there is the danger of the mind straying along the forbidden or sinful
path. If, on the other hand, we think of Her, we will not only be avoiding doing wrong, but will
also be fed by Her with the milk of jnaana. As a result, we will be endowed with the grace of
Saraswati, the Goddess of Learning, of Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth. No only that,
physically we will be healthy and radiant with charm (tejas) that flows from health. We will also
be blessed with long life.
Thus, long life, health, wealth, and knowledge – what is the use of long life bereft of health,
wealth and knowledge ? – will be ouras. Jnaana will sever the paasa (chord) ajnaana, which
binds the soul to this world and makes us pasu (animal). When the bond is sundered, the
liberated soul merges itself into that limitless and all-pervasive Bliss. Parananda, and is no longer
afflicted by fear, sorrow, or pain. Thus, the effect of worshipping the Divine Mother is the
fulfillment of the purpose of life – the merger of the atma with the Paramatma. This is the
significance of the following verse in Soundarya Lahari, which is given as the phalasruti for the
100 verses preceding it.
“Sarasvatyaa lakshmyaa vidhi-hari-sapatno viharate Rateh paativratyam sithilayati ramyena

vapushaa Chiram jeevanneva kshapita pasupaasa vyatikarah Paraanandaabhikhyam rasayati
rasam tvadbha-janavaan”.
January 31, 1958
One Supreme Being
Some western scholars in their ignorance have dubbed Hindu religion as polytheistic. The
uniqueness of our religion lies in the fact that under whichever name a devotee worships his
Ishtadevata-that manifestation of God which appeals to him most-he considers Him as all-
pervading Paramatama. In fact, the culmination of all conceptions of the Supreme Being is in
Monism. That is Advaita Vedanta. Isvara, Narayana and Parasakti are all different aspects of the
one Supreme Being. This is visibly illustrated in the divine forms of Ardhanareeswara and
Sankara-Narayana. Such manifestations of the Divine are installed in many South Indian
temples, such as Ardhanareeswara at Triuchengode, Sankaranarayana at sankaranarayana Koil in
Triunelveli, and Harihara in Mysore. Siva and Vishnu are also found together in the temple at
Tiruparkadal near Kaveripakkam.
November 10,1957
PATH OF SELF-CONTROL
Having told Arjuna that a Sthita Prajna is one with an unruffled mind, one who has completely
overcome all desires and passions, Sri Bhagavan says to Arjuna that such a person withdraws his
mind from external thoughts in order to contemplate the Atman within, which is Full and All-
pervasive, in the same manner as a tortoise withdraws its limbs within its shell at the slightest
sign of danger. We desire a thing because of a feeling of incompleteness without it. But when we
realise that what we ordinarily understand as "We" is nothing but the Absolute Bliss, the illusive
pleasures after which the senses go lose their charm. Fire can never be quenched by giving it
more fuel; the more we feed it, the more it burns. Similarly, our desires only increase by
enjoyment.
At the same time, Bhagavan points out to Arjuna, and through Arjuna to all of us, that the path of
self control is not strewn with roses. It comes only out of constant practice. Failure should not
deter us; we should try, try and try and again till we succeed. Fasting and other disciplines aid us
to acquire self control.
A fasting man or a man suffering from fever is not attracted by sweet music of delicious food.
His mind is not tempted. This does not mean that these desires have completely disappeared
from his mind. When the fast is broken or when the fever subsides, the mind is again tempted by
these attractions. This shows that the desires remain latent like embers under ashes. It follows
that by merely fasting or observing other forms of penance, one cannot master the sense-organs
and control the mind. It may appear as if these had been mastered; but at the first trial of
strength, the mind will succumb to temptations. Therefore it is that Bhagavan has emphasised
more than once in the Gita that any one desiring to acquire true knowledge and understand the
Svaroopa of the Paramatma must surrender himself to Him. Fasting and other forms of discipline
create a proper atmosphere for self-control; but complete self-control can be acquired only
through grace of God. Real control over the mind comes with the realisation that everything
including oneself is Vasudeva-- Vaasudevassarvamiti. With the dawning of that realisation a
person's senses cease to be attracted by external objects, his mind does not run away with his
sense-organs, and he maintains his mental equipoise even under the most trying circumstances.
While desire fulfilled leads to further desire, desire frustrated turns into anger, like the rebound
of a ball thrown at a wall. A person in the grip of desire or anger loses his reasoning power and
consequently all his actions will be in the wrong direction. When desires become subordinate to
the mind, the mind begins to dwell upon the Atman undisturbed and a person steeped in the
contemplation of the Atman realises the Supreme.
July 6, 1958.
Preservation of the Vedas
All of us take care to keep our bodies and our clothes clean. But do we bestow any attention on
our inner or mental cleanliness? Inner impurity is the result of desire, anger, and fear. It is
common knowledge that when one is in the presence of one’s mother, one keeps all evil thoughts
under control. Similarly, in the presence of the Divine Mother, we can control our evil thoughts.
We can cleanse our hearts only by the Dhyana-thirtha (holy water of meditation) of the Divine
Mother. When the heart is so cleansed, it will learn to distinguish the real from the unreal, which
will result in the end of births. A day spent without a conscious attempt to clean one’s heart, is a
day wasted. Impurity of cloth or body will lead to diseases which will last only for one life-time.
But impurity of heart will lead to diseases which will afflict the soul for several births.
God or Paramatma is only one, and we worship that God as Father, Mother or Teacher of the
Universe. The Vedic religion, which is popularly known as Hindu religion, emphasises this fact.
God in the form of Divine Mother is a personification of kindness and love and he who worships
at Her divine feet will secure mental peace quickly. Desires only increase by fulfilment. Desires
can be overcome by saanti and mental discipline. Let us surrender ourselves at the holy feet of
the Divine Mother and purify ourselves with her Dhyana-thirtha, and thus free ourselves from
desires, diseases and births.
There are two main sects among Christians. But the name of the God and the Holy Book of the
Christian religion are common to both. The same is the case with the Muslims. So far as the
Hindus are concerned, there are apparently two Gods and two Holy Books, according to whether
one is a Saivite or a Vaishnavite – the Tirumarai and the Prabandham. But the basis for both
Saivism and Vaishnavism is the Vedas, and according to the Vedas, there is only one God, the
God about Whom the Vedas sing. If we had been classified as Saivites, Vaishnavites, and so on,
the whole country would have been Balkanised. We should, therefore, bear in mind the fact the
the Vedas form the basis for our religion and that there is only one God. Failure to realise this
fact will only lead to the weakening, and finally the disintegration, of Hindu society.
This takes us to the question of preserving the Vedas in their pristine purity. The Vedas are not
preserved in writing and the Tamil term marai (hidden) for the Vedas is very appropriate. The
Vedas are like the roots of a tree. The different sects are like its flowers and fruits, all deriving
their sustenance from the roots. Fortunately, we have the good tradition of the Vedas and the
Vedangas being handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and happily for
the entire world, the Vedas have been preserved in their pristine purity, especially in the South.
The importance of Sanskrit is due to the fact that it is the language of the Vedas. There is
evidence to prove the influence of Sanskrit in Far-Eastern countries like Indonesia and even in
places like Persia. It once occupied the place of an international language. The Vedas must be
preserved in the Sanskrit language and not in translation, because the spirit will get diluted in the
process of translation. Though there may be translations, a reference to the original will become
necessary, when difficulty arises in interpretation. We can trace the basis for all religions to the
Vedas. For the preservation of Vedas, it is necessary that some people devote their entire time for
Vedic study. That is how the Vedas were preserved in the past and were handed down to
succeeding generations by oral transmission. A community will cease to exist the moment it
loses sight of its purpose in society. The purpose of the Brahmin community is to learn, preserve
and hand over to posterity, the Vedas and the Vedangas
October 5, 1957SARADA NAVARATHRI
CONCEPTION OF PARASAKTHI
In Mooka Panchasati, Sri Kamakshi is referred to as darkish blue in colour in the Stuti Sataka,
and as saffron in colour in the Aarya Sataka. Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada, in his Soudarya Lahari,
describes Ambika’s colour as aruna varna, splendrous red of the rising sun. Why is the colour of
the same Goddess described as dark-blue in one place and red in another?
According to Devi Mantra Sastraas, Kameswara, who transcends the Trininty, Brahma, Vishnu,
and Siva, is actionless and unattached. Sri Kameswari, the Supreme Parasakthi, seated on the left
of Sri Kameswara, is described to be red in colour. The sameness of Parvati, who is dark, and
Paraasakti, who is red, is indicated in Mooka Panchasati by attributing both these colours to the
Supreme Goddess.
Sri Kameswara’s swarupa is like that of a pure sphatika, a colourless solid which becomes
invisible when immersed in water. He is thereby conceived as formless even though He has a
form. Vishnu and Paravati, both dark-blue, are twin manifestations, are also Siva and Saraswati,
both white, and Brahma and Lakshmi, both golden yellow. Daylight is colourless, and yet it
contains all the primary colours. If one of the colours is separated from the colourless light, the
rest of the colours reveal themselves. Red is the least disturbing colour as is evident from the fact
that red light is used to develop photographic negatives. Under the influence of red Paraasakti,
the colourless Sadasiva manifests himself as Brahma, Vishnu, Siva and their respective consorts,
Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Parvati and starts the activities of the world-process.
The Divine Trinity have their counterparts in the three states of wakefulness, dream, and
dreamless sleep, and in the three-fold activities of creation, protection, and dissolution. While
wakefulness and dream are states of mixed joy and sorrow, sleep is a state free from worldly
sorrow. Turiya is a state higher than sleep and that is the state of Supreme Bliss or aananda.
Pralaya or deluge gives rest to souls from the cycle of birth and death and the effects of punya
and paapa. Siva, who is referred to as the Destroyer, is in reality a merciful God, who lulls the
tormented souls into the sleep of pralaya, during which period they forget all their sorrows. In
Soundarya Lahari, Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada says that these three Divinities, Brahma, Vishnu,
and Siva, started their cosmic process when the Supreme Parasakti knitted Her brow for a
fraction of a second. She stood beyond them all and Her red splendour stimulated them to
perform their respective functions of creation, preservation and destruction, by Her very
presence.
As part of Sarada Navarathri celebrations, articles included in the book “Acharya’s Call”,
complied by Sri V. Ramakrishna Aiyer, Retired Chief Reporter, The Hindu, Madras, and
published by Sri Kamakoti Peetam, Sri Sankaracharya Swami Mutt, Kancheepuram, are
reproduced for the information of devotees.
“Jagat soote dhata harir avati rudrah kshapayate tiraskurvan etat swam api vapur
eesastirayati; sadaa poorvah sarvam tadidam anugrnhati cha sivah stavaajnam aalambya
kshana chalitayor-bhroolatikayoh.”
The lesson to be drawn from the foregoing is that the same Supreme Being appears in diverse
forms as we conceive Him to shower His grace in the manner we invoke it. We do it by mantra
and japa which are sound waves having the power to transform themselves into the form of the
murtis whose mantras they are. If we continuously chant the mantra into which we are initiated,
the Supreme Parasakti will shower Her grace on us. She is meditated in the moon which gives
soothing light and also assuages heat. Thus She sheds Her nectar rays all round. The Para Devata
whom we worship and the Full Moon we see in the sky are related in this life. It behoves us,
therefore, to constantly meditate on any chosen mantra on an Ishta devata so that our soul may be
enveloped by that Devata with that mantra on our lips, even at the time when the soul departs
from the body. That is the path shown to us by our sages and all of us should pursue this path in
the interest of universal welfare.
December 8, 1957
MESSAGE OF SOUNDARYA LAHARI
“Pradeepa jvaalaabhir-divasakara neeraajana vidhih Sudhaa sootes-chandraopala jala lavair-

arghya rachanaa; Swakeeyair-ambhobhih salila nidhi sauuhitya karanam Tvadeeyaabhir-
vaagbhi stava janani vaachaam stutiriyam”
Composing these verses in praise of You, O Mother, in words originating from You, is like
worshipping the Sun by waving a light, offering arghya to the Moon with drops of water
dripping from a moon-stone and bathing the ocean with its own water.
This is the last verse in Soundarya Lahari composed by Sri Adi Sankara. Through this verse, he
brought home to us the truth that all virtues and skills we claim to posses are derived from the
Supreme Mother through Her grace. The Soundarya Lahari is a composition, the beauty of which
has not so far been surpassed. It is in praise of Ambika, Herself the embodiment and source of all
beauty. The beautiful words in which Soundarya Lahari is composed are also derived through the
grace of Ambika. That is why Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada has expressed in this verse that singing
the praise of Ambika in the composition, Soundarya Lahari, in words originating from Her, is
very much like worshipping the Sun by waving a lighted camphor before him, or offering the
Moon drops of nectar emitted by the Chandrakaanta stone under the influence of the Moon, or
bathing the ocean with its own waters. The lesson to be drawn is that whenever any honour is
done to a person, the recipient must remember the divine source from which he derived the
qualifications to receive that honour, and feel humble and not elated with a feeling of self-
importance.
Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada, within the short span of his life, made tremendous achievements. The
world of intellect was at his feet. The influence of all other creeds vanished into thin air. His
fame travelled far beyond the shores of India. A stone inscription recovered from a temple in
ruins in the jungles of Cambodia mentioned that the temple was built by a King whose guru
claimed to be a descendent of a pupil of Bhagavan Sankara. French archaeologists have
recovered from Cambodia 700 to 800 Sankrit incriptions in stone. All the inscriptions are in
beautiful Sanskrit.
“ Yenaadheetani saastraani bhagavat-sankaraahvayaat; Nissesha soori moordhaali maala

leedhaanghripankajaat”.
This verse emphasises the greatness of Sri Sankara. It says that all the great seekers of truth
(soori) in the country, without exception, acknowledged the greatness of Sri Sankara by bowing
their heads at his lotus feet. Such a great soul felt humble after composing Soundarya Lahari and
dedicated it to the Supreme Mother. In that way, he taught the world and us the lesson of
humility and the need for eschewing from one’s nature egoism or arrogance, realising that all
merits are derived from the divine source.
October 11,1957
Study of the Puranas
The history we learn in schools and colleges tells us mainly about the rise and fall of kingdoms,
wars and invasions, and similar political topics. The purpose of history is to enable people in the
present to build for the future, profiting from the experience of the past. The conception of
history is in accord with the saying "history repeats itself". It is wrong to think that there can be
history only for politics. Every subject has a history behind it.
History is called Itihaasa in Sanskrit. In this country associate Itihaasa with to works, the
Ramayana and the Mahabharatha. The embody the history of religion, culture, dharma, and the
their traditions. The term Itihaasa is derived by the combination of keywords, iti, he, and aasa -
iti (in this manner), he (they say), aasa (it happened). Aitihyam means tradition, and it is derived
from Itihaasam. Aitihyam has become Aiteekam in Tamil.
Besides the two Itihaasas, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, there are 18 Puraanas, which also
expound our religion, custom, culture and traditions. They are very old works as the name
Puraana it self signifies. There are also a large number of works giving that local traditions of a
number of places. They are called Sthala Puraanas. In the olden days, palm leaf manuscripts of
Itihaasas, Puraanas, and Sthala Puraanas were treasured by householders. If any volume showed
signs of decay , it was copied down on new leaves, and the old manuscript consigned to the
waters of the Kaveri on the 18th day of the month of Adi (2nd of August). That is how all these
ancient works came to be preserved so long. But owing to the indifference of people in
subsequent periods, the manuscripts were not recopied, and consequently, a bulk of them got
decayed and were lost to us. What could be salvaged are preserved in the Oriental Manuscripts
Library, the Saraswati Mahal Library(Thanjavur),an dthe Adyar Library. The Theosophical
Society has rendered an invaluable service by collecting and preserving quite a good number of
these vaulable manuscripts. But unfortunately many of the Sthala Puraanas have been
permanently lost to us.
It seems to me that these Sthala Puraanas contain more ethical and moral lessons and historical
facts than even the Puraanas themselves. If we carefully examine the Puraanas we will be able to
find one Puraana supplemented another. A diligent student, by a co-ordinated study, can bring to
light many truths. The tendency of English-educated persons is to regard the Puraanic stories as
mere fiction. That is not a correct approach to these valuable works. Have not recent discoveries
of fossils established the existence, at one time, of huge monsters and men of immense
proportions? Do not freaks of nature occur even now? Why then should we brush aside the
Puraanic stories as unbelievable? While benefiting from the ethical and moreal lessons which
these stories convey, let us also keep an open mind regarding the characters potrayed in these
stories.
In some Puraanas and Sthala maahatyams, we find a reference that Sri Rama installed a Linga, in
order to wash of the sin of Bramha Hathi which came to be attached to him, as result of killing
Ravana, a Bramhin. Though by killing Ravana, Sri Rama performed a righteous act of protecting
innocent and good men from the tyranny of a bad man, and though as an incornation of God no
sin can ever attach to him, yet as a model human person, he did this act of expiation as a sin.
According to Sthala Puraanas, Sri Rama is stated to have installed the Linga of Iswara at
Rameswaram, Vedaranyam, and at Pattesvaram, near Kumbakonam, to expiate respectively the
doshas (wrongs) of Bramha-Hathi, Veera-Hathi and Cchaya-Hathi, resulting from the killing of
Ravana. There is inter-relation between the Sthala Puraanas of these three places and the
Ramayana. One version of the Kaveri Puraana attaches sanctity to the Amma Mantapam on the
banks of the Kaveri at Srirangam, and the center figure in the story is King Dharma Varma of
Nichulapuri(Uraiyoor). According to another version of the same Puraana, sanctity is attached to
Mayuram and the principal characters in that version are Natha Sarma and his wife, Anavadyai.
It is noteworthy that the bathing ghat or "lagadam" (a curruption of Thula ghattam), on the banks
of Kaveri at Mayuram and those at six or seven other places are architecturally similar. In this
version of Kaveri Puraana, there is a reference that Natha Sarma and his wife visited other places
of piligrimage like Kedaara and Kasi. There is bathing ghat none as Kedaara Ghatta at Banaras,
and Sthala Puraana of the place also mentions about the visit of the Natha Sarma couple to the
ghatta. I am mentioning all these facts to show that one Puraana supplements another and that
diligent research in to these Puraanas and Sthala Puraanas will yield valuable historical facts.
If our religion survived many vicissitudes in the past, it is because of our temples and the
festivals associated with them. The spiritual, moral, and ethical principles expounded by the
Vedaas have survived and spread through the Puraanaas. They teach the basic truths in a manner
which appeals to the heart. Let us not, therefore, be indifferent to these great works of religious
literature, but treasure them, study them, conduct researches in them, and there by benifit
ourselves and the world.
February 4, 1958.
Study of The Vedas
The state of things in this country for the past 100 years or so is such that the Vedas are being
brought to the notice of the people of this country, the land of the Vedas, through the published
works of Western Orientalists. While we should acknowledge with gratitude the invaluable
contributions made by these research-scholars of the West in classifying, printing and preserving
the Vedas, so far as we in India are concerned, the primary purpose the Vedas, namely to
memorise and recite correctly, with proper accents, or adhyayana, cannot be served by these
publications. The Vedas printed and preserved in libraries will (in the absence of regular study
and recitation) eventually acquire only a museum value, and the future generations reading these
published works may marvel at the wonderful things contained in them.
The Vedas are intended to serve a different purpose. They have to be learnt by heart,
understanding the correct way of pronouncing the mantras by listening to the rendering of the
mantras by the guru (teacher). The Veda mantras so learnt should become the guide in our daily
life, in our Karmaanushtaana, Tapas, Isvara aaradhana, etc. If, in India, the Vedas retain their
original vitality even today, it is because these hyms are being continuously repeated by students
and teachers of the Vedas, and the purity of the sounds and accents of the words are retained in
that process. It is only by practising the Vedic injunctions that we can obtain the grace of God,
both for our individual welfare and for the welfare of the whole world. That is why the mere
preservation of the Vedas in well-bound volumes cannot secure us the benefits for which they
are intended.
In fact the Vedas are never intended to be written down and read. Veda Adhyayana implied
hearing from the lips of the teacher and repeating after him. That is why in ancient Tamil
classics, the Vedas are referred to as Ezhutaakkilavi , unwritten book. Veda Paatakaas, who learn
from books, are included among the six classes of inferior scholars. The other five classes are
those who recite the Vedas musically, those who recite very fast, those who shake their heads
while reciting, those who do not know the meaning, and those who have a poor voice. This is
made clear in the following verse :
Geetee seeghree sirahkampee tatha likhita paatakah

anarthajnah alpakanthascha shadete paatakaadhamaah.
The study of the Vedas has been confined in these days to a few professionals (purohits), who
are not even accorded a proper status in society. Many of them learn mechanically, without
caring to understand the meaning of the Vedic hymns. At this rate, there is a danger of Veda
adhyayana becoming extinct, in the not so distant a future. To avert such a situation, a private
Trust has been formed with land gifts made by some donors for encouraging the study of the
Vedas in the traditional manner. About six years ago, statistics were prepared of those who have
made a complete adhyayana of the Vedas, in each saakha (branch), and presents were given to
them. Stipends are being given to qualified students in each saakha, who desired to learn Veda-
bhaashya under a competent teacher. Half-yearly examinations are being held in the prescribed
Veda and Veda Bhaashya portions and Sambhaavanaas are being given to successful candidates.
There are many people who genuinely regret that they have to perform the various rituals
prescribed in the Saastras without understanding the meaning of the Mantraas employed therein.
Take the instance of the marriage ceremony. The indifference shown by our young men and
women for the rituals connected with marriage is due to their ignorance of the meaning of the
Mantraas, they are asked to repeat. If the meaning of the Mantraas are explained to them
beforehand, by a competent person, they will be able to go through the rituals with better
understanding and greater devotion. The same procedure can be adopted in respect of Upanayana
and other Samskaaras.
Veda adhyayana, without knowing the meaning thereof is like preserving the body without the
soul.
Veda Mantraas uttered with a knowledge of their meaning will lead to Paapa-parihara(expiation
of sins), and Arishtasaanti(liquidation of evil), and pave the way to Brahma-
saakshaathkaara(God realisation).
The Vedas are the roots of our religion. All other Paraphernalia, like feast and festivals, are like
the leaves and fruits of that tree, depending for their sustenance on the Vedic roots. Though
imbedded in mud, the internal core of the roots is as fresh and fragnant as the fruits and flowers
on the top. It is no use feeling gratified that the Vedas have been written down, printed and
published by Western Scholars. To us, Veda adhyayana and their employment in the sacraments
of our daily life are important. For that purpose it is necessary to learn them by heart, understand
their meaning, and recite them in the prescribed manner.
February 1, 1958.
SURRENDER TO DIVINE MOTHER
“Sampatkaraani sakalendriya-nandanaani Saamraajya-daana-vibhavaani saroruhaakshi

Tvad-vandanaani duritoddharano-dyataani Maameva maatah anisam kalayantu maanye”
O! Mother, who has eyes as beautiful as lotus flowers and who Is worthy of worship, let the
obeisance offered to you, obeisance Capable of bestowing property, bring blissful joy to the
Idriyas, Having the power to gift an empire, and remove sins and purify, Always remain with
me.
This sloka is from Sri Sankara Bhagvatoada’s Kanakadhaaraastava. As a Brahmachari Sri

Sankara recited this and caused a shower of gold for the benefit of a poor housewife who had
nothing to offer as bhiksha to him except a solitary aamalaka fruit (Nellikkani). The significant
portion of the verse is where Sri Adi Sankara prays to the Divine Mother that Vandana
(obeisance) offered to Her with the purpose of rooting out durita (sin) – duritoddharana - should
not leave him, but remain with him alone always (maameva anisam kalayantu). This Vandanam
is alone is my property – the Mother is also the giver of wealth – and should remain with me, he
says. The import of this sentiment is that the Mother (maatah – hence Taayaar for Ambika in
Tamil) in her mercy should help him to hold fast to the Vandanam to Her. The only way to get
oneself cleansed of one’s sins is to penitently prostrate at the feet of the Divine Mother. Let us,
therefore, surrender ourselves at the feet of the Mother and find peace and happiness.
SURRENDER TO GOD
No doubt, it is to some extent desirable, in this world, for a man to earn a name and fame and
also material wealth. All these things come to some people unasked. Others do not get them,
however much they may try. But these things do not attach themselves to us permanently. Either
we leave them behind, or they desert us in our own life-time. Therefore, name, fame and wealth
are not objectives for which we should consciously strive with all our energy. What we should
aspire and strive for is a life free from sin.
There are two aspects to this freedom from sin. One is absolution from sins already committed
(Paapanaasam) and the other is non-commission of sins hereafter, by purifying our mind and
making it free from evil thoughts (Paapa buddhi). The former can be achieved by absolutely
surrendering oneself to God, realising that He alone is our Saviour, nothing happens without His
knowledge, and that whatever happens to us, good or bad, is by His will and only for our
ultimate good. Resigning oneself to the dispensation of God is the essence of absolute surrender
or Saranaagati. We will be free from evil thoughts hereafter only by Bhakti or devotion, that is to
say, by devoting every free moment of ours to His thought or repeating His names or listening to
His glories.
The claim of Christianity is that God appeared on earth to wash off our sins. It is sometimes
argued that there is no corresponding conception in Hinduism. This is not correct. In the Gita, Sri
Krishna has given an assurance that He will absolve from sin those who surrender themselves to
Him. The Lord says
Sarva dharmaan parityajya maamekam saranam vraja;

Aham tvaa sarvapaapebhyo mokshayishyaami maa suchah.
Sri Krishna asks Arjuna not to grieve telling him "I will free you from all sins (Sarvapaapebhyo
mokshayishyaami), if you give up all other Dharma (Sarva Dharmaan parityajya), and surrender
to Me absolutely (Maamekam Saranam Vraja)". In this context, the import of the expression,
Sarva Dharman Parityajya has to be understood correctly. The emphasis of the Gita is on each
man performing his prescribed duties in a spirit of dedication. Therefore, the call to " give up
Dharma" cannot be a message of inaction. Sri Krishna wants Arjuna, and through Arjuna all of
us , to do the duties pertaining to our station in life. But what He wants us to give up is the notion
that the performance of these duties will by itself lead us to the cherished goal. Sri Krishna wants
us to perform our Dharma, giving up the notion that they are the be-all and end-all of life, and
surrender ourselves to Him without reservation.
In the verse previous to the one I have just quoted, Sri Krishna says :
Manmanaa Bhava Madbhakto

Mayaajee maam namaskuru;
Maamevaishyasi satyamte
partijaane priyosi me.
When Sri Krishna says to Arjuna, "You are dear to me(priyosi me) it means that all of us are
dear to Him. So, when he gives the assurance "satyam te prattijanne", we can take it as an
assurance given to all of us . The assurance is that we will reach Him (Maamevaishyasi). For that
purpose, we have to fix our thoughts on Him(Manmanaa Bhava), become His
devotees(Madbhakto Bhava), worship Him (Madyaajee bhava) and fall at His feet(maam
namaskuru).
If we analyse one's affection towards one's son or wife, we will find that it ultimately resolves
itself into one's love for oneself. A man is fond of his son only so long as that son fulfils what he
expects of him. Supposing that son gets married and neglects his father, the affection will turn
into enmity. It follows that the affection we entertain is with a purpose and not selfless. But there
is no purpose or object behind one's love for oneself. When we come to realise that the "I" we
love so much is "He", our mind becomes saturated with Him. That is the significance of the
expression, "Manmanaa bhava". We think of Him not for securing any favours, but because we
cannot help thinking of Him, having realised that the soul within us is none else than He. When
this realisation takes deep root, the mind enters the state of Avyaaja Bhakti.
We have examples of such selfless devotion to God in our Puranas. Akroora and Vidura had
such Avyaaja Bhakti, Dhruva and Prahlada are examples of those who surrendered themselves to
God even from their childhood. Sabari and Kannappar are examples of persons regarded as
unlettered common people, on the bottom rungs of the social ladder, Who are animated by an
overwhelming devotion in which the consciousness of their individual entity has been
completely wiped out. Parikshit is an example of one, who, within the last seven days of his life,
experienced the bliss of devotion achieved in a life-time. Khatvaanga is an example of a person
who got purified by concentrated devotion of three and three-fourths Naazhigas, or 90 minutes.
While Saranaagati helps to "write off" past sins, Bhakti alone will keep our minds away from sin.
The heart has to be kept clean through Bhakti so that the full effect of His presence there may be
realised. In the ultimate analysis, surrender and devotion are the two facets of the same thing. In
this life, all householders are engaged in various occupations necessary to maintain themselves.
While so engaged, their minds will be concentrating on their work. But it is during their leisure
that their minds are likely to go astray. This leisure must be utilised in developing Bhakti,
through various process like Naama Japa(repeating God's name), Satsanga(keeping holy
company), pooja(worship), satkathasravana(listening to Lord's glory), etc. The idea is to
somehow keep our thoughts engaged on God. We should have no occasion to commit sin
through mind, eyes, ears and speech. Even when we make any representations in our prayers, it
should be in a spirit of detachment, namely with the realisation that nothing is unknown to Him
and with a feeling, "Let Him do with us as He pleases". Let us, in this way, strive to pursue the
path of surrender and devotion, and earn the grace of God.
February 28, 1958
The Age of Vedas
The sacred books of Buddhism, Christianity and Islam have definite historical dates assigned to
them. The Tripitakas are said to have been written about the time of Asoka , though the Buddha's
date , according to some puranas, went further back by several centuries. The Koran, which is the
word of God conveyed to the Prophet, is about 1,200 years old. The New Testament of the Bible
is about 2,00 years old. Though no one can assign any definite date to the Vedas, Oreintalists are
anxious to discover when they were "composed". Some of them say that it was done about 1,500
BC; other suggest that it may have about 3,000 years. Tilak fixes the date as 6,000 BC But
modern Orientalists are inclined to bring the date nearer.
If the Buddha was born 2,500 years ago , and if in the Buddha's time it was not known when the
Vedas came into existence, then the date of Vedas should be long anterior to this time. But the
truth of the matter is that the Vedas are Anaadi and Nitya, with out beginning and with out end
and eternal , like sound. They manifest themselves after each Pralaya (deluge). Pralaya and srshti
(deluge and creation) alternate The Old Testament speaks of the creation of the present world.
According to Hindu Scriptures, there have been many creations before, and also Pralayas. The
period of each Srshti and each Pralaya spreads over aeons , infinitely beyond human calculation.
The findings of geology, which traces the history of the earth to a period long before the time
referred to in the Book of Genesis, confirm this view of cycles of creation and deluge. In fact, the
more and the deeper the researchers of modern science, the greater the confirmation for the
declarations in our Hindu scriptures. I t is futile, as it will be foolish, to discard these declarations
at any time , on the ground that they do not accord with the discoveries of science known till
then. For, fresh light thrown by later scientific discoveries provide startling confirmation for
many of these declarations.
Orientalists also attempt to fix the date of the Vedas on the basis of certain internal evidence
about the relation between the Sun and the stars, etc. The Hindu theory of cycles , however,
refers to several creations an d so, the same astronomical coincidences and deviations may have
occurred during the period of some past Srstis also. We do not know how many such Pralayas
and Srshtis have gone before.
Another method adopted for fixing the age of the Vedas is to go by the changes in the style of
Hindu scriptures, from the Rik Samhita down to the Kaavya literature. In the case of spoken
languages , it has been computed that gradual mutations took place with the passage of every 200
years. For example, the Tamil language to-day is different from the Tamil of the Sangam age. It
is far cry from modern English to old English. American English is different from the orthodox
English in use in Britain. On this method of appraisal, it has been suggested that the Vedas
should have come into existence 1,500 years ago.
It is common knowledge and experience that if a thing is in constant use, it will wear out and
bear marks of such use and wear, and that a thing rarely used . the same is true of languages also.
English, Tamil and Hindi have changed in from through the centuries and undergone even
distortions by usage. But the language of the Vedas remains to-day the same in form and feature
as it was at time out of memory. The reason for this absence of distortion or deterioration is that
Vedic chanting has been so carefully guarded, as not to allow any possibility of a lapse from its
pristine form. Of the innumerable Veda Saakhaas, we know now only of one out of the 21
branches of the Rig Veda, three out of the 101 branches of the Yajur Veda, two or possibly three
out of 1,000 branches of the Saama Veda, and on e only out of 11 branches of Atharva Veda, one
will have to devote to its learning about eight years, night and day.
There are various methods in Vedhaadhyayana (memorising the Veda mantras) which help to
preserve the number an d the order of the words and letters of each Veda Mantra. There are
specifications regarding the time interval (matra) for the utterance of each letter in a word; the
part of the body from which each of the sounds in the word should emanate by the exhalation of
the breath in an appropriate manner ; the affinities between the Swaraas in the Vedas and the
Swaraas in Sangeeta (music) and the affinities of both (Veda Swaraas and Sangeeta Swaraas) to
the natural Swaraas in the sounds produced by animals , birds, etc. These methods of memorising
the Veda Mantras are known as Vaakya, Pada, Krama, Ghana, Jata, Swara,etc.
The Vedas are not like the sounds of common speech to undergo periodical changes by usage; on
the other hand, they have been meticulously preserved as a result of being protected by definite
prescriptions and indices relating to the sound measures, their nature, sequence, manner of
utterance, etc., which have been preserved by oral transmission from generation to generation.
The injunctions relating to the persons who should do the Adhyayana, and the Aachaaraas such
persons should observe, are intended to promote this objective. To approach the study of the
Vedas with out a clear knowledge of all ramifications and to adopt rough and ready methods for
estimating their age will amount to proceeding on a basis which has no bearing on the subject of
the study.
January 28,1958.
The Doctrine of Surrender
Dhanuh paushpam maurvee madhukara mayee pancha

viskikhaa
Vasantah saamanto Malaya-marud-aayaodhana rathah;
Tatah-api-ekas sarvam himagiri-sute kaam-api krpaam

Apaangaat-te labdhvaa jagad-idam-anango vijayate
What the grace of the Divine Mother can achieve is illustrated by Sri Sankara Bhagavathpada in
this verse occurring in Soundarya Lahari. Ananga, Cupid, is able to conquer this world, though
he is equipped only with a bow of sugarcane, whose string is composed of a row of bees, with
five arrows of flowers, with only Vasanta or Spring as his lieutenant, and with the Malaya-
breeze as his chariot. Thus ill-equipped, from the standard of a warrior, he is able to achieve the
feat of conquering the world, because he has obtained the grace of Sri Parvati, daughter of the
snow-capped mountain, conveyed through the glance from the corners of Her eyes.
In this Ananga’s conquest of the world, the bow is sweet and brittle and the arrows are fragrant
and soft. The person who wields the weapon is Ananga, one without any form. Yet, he derives
his strength from the source of all strength, the grace of the Divine Mother.
Sri Parvati as Daakshayani consigns Herself to the flame of the Yaaga of Her father, Daksha,
unable to bear the abuse heaped upon Her Lord, Siva, by Her own father, and earned the name of
Sati. From this, the expression Sati came to be used when any woman immolated herself in the
funeral pyre of her husband.
The function of a Prabhu, Lord is both protection and punishment. Siva saved the world from
disaster by swallowing the poison generated when the Ocean of Milk was churned. In other
words, He took upon Himself the sins of the world in order to save humanity. It is this function
of God which Christians attribute to Christ, namely, saving the sinners. Lord Siva punished
Cupid (Kaama) when the latter disturbed His penance; but restored him to life, though without
form, at the entreaty of Rati and the intervention of Parvati. Sri Parvati as Sri Kamakshi or Sri
Sivakamasundari, is depicted as holding the bow and the arrows of Kamadeva, controlling
Kaama within Her eyes. Hence Kamakshi. She holds the sweet sugarcane bow representing the
five senses through which the mind is influenced and is functioning, and won the grace of Lord
Siva, who alone, as the destroyer of Kaama and Kaala, is capable of saving us form the cycle of
birth and death. If we surrender ourselves at the feet of the Divine Mother, in the manner in
which Sri Adi Sankara has taught us in Soundarya Lahari. She will help us to keep the mind and
the senses under control and purify our heart, so that we may attain perfection without being
afflicted by kaama and lobha (lust and desires) and realise the Ultimate Truth and achieve
sublime peace and happiness.
November 8, 1957The Sanctity of Sastras
The ancient Hindu empires of this land were built on the foundation of Vedic religion and all
great Hindu rulers took special interest in upholding Hindu Dharma and encouraging savants
who dedicated themselves to the task of increasing human knowledge, both in the material and in
the spiritual spheres. The result is that we have inherited a veritable treasure of knowledge in the
shape of various Sastras.
Instances can be quoted to show that the empires which flourished in different parts of Bharata
Varsha (India) rose on the firm foundation of Vedic tatavas (principles). Vikramaditya built up a
mighty empire about 1,500 years ago. Scholars, well-versed in different branches of knowledge,
flourished under his patronage. Among them were Kalidasa, Bhattabana, Varahamihira and six
others, known to the outside world as the nine gems who adorned the court of Vikramaditya.
Varahamihira is the author of several works, among which Brhat samhita is one. In it, he has
condensed all the Sastras and devoted one chapter for each Sastra. He has also written a Naadi
Sastra, dealing with the science of breathing or praanaayaama. He has proved therein how the
character of a person is influenced by the manner of his breathing, and also dealt with the control
of breathing, which is conducive to longevity and which also helps to awaken the power of the
kundalini, and thereby enables a person to acquire spiritual powers step by step, ultimately
leading to the realisation of Brahmam.
The kingdom of Bhoja was also founded on Vedic tatva. The modern Dhar was his capital. He
was a poet himself and in the capital none but poets lived. There is a story about a weaver who
was pursuing his hereditary avocation in this capital town. It is said that one day the servants of
Bhoja took him to the court of the king. When he was asked whether he could compose poetry,
he is stated to have given his reply in the following verse.
Kaavyam karomi nahi chaarutaram karomi

yatnaat karomi yadi chaarutaram karomi
Bhoopaala-mauli-mani-mandita paada peettha

He saahasaanga kavayami vayaami yaami
The import of this verse is that this weaver told the king that he can compose verses, but not
well, though he can compose good verses with some effort. Punning upon the word yammi, he
told the king that he composes, kavayaami, that he weaves, vayaami and then goes away saying,
yammi. According to the story the king rewarded him generously. The idea sought to be
conveyed by this story is that any one coming to the court of Bhoja became a poet.
Archaeologists exploring the site of a former masjid in Dhar discovered a chakra (wheel) with
the principles of Sanskrit gramme inscribed on it. In Bhoja's time also, great savants wrote
invaluable works containing truths which human intelligence was able to unravel.
Bhoja has himself written a book on vimaana or aerial transport. This work has been printed in
Baroda. It deals with all the secrets of aerial travel, but does not say how to construct a vimaana
or aeroplane. It is not as if Bhoja did not know the technique of constructing a vimaana. But this
knowledge was kept secret, to safeguard against any possible misuse of the technique by evil-
minded persons with calamitous results. In this context it is noteworthy how the perfection of
long range rockets in the present day is causing anxiety to nations and how public opinion is
shaping towards the control of their production and use. The principle of vimaana construction in
those days appears to be based on rasa vaada (alchemy). I am mentioning this to show that
several scientific works have been written by ancient thinkers. But due to neglect by people and
to historic reasons, many such works have been lost to us.
Coming to later times, we find that the jurisdiction of the Vijayanagar empire extended up to
Kanyakumari. The one person who helped to found and build up this great Empire was
Vidyaranya, a Sanyasi. He is the author of Veda Bhashya, commentaries on the Vedas, and
several philosophic works. The Vijayanagar empire was also built on the foundation of our
religious principles. Generals like Gopanna did yeoman service in the protection and
construction of numerous temples. When danger threatened the temple of Sri Ranganatha at
Srirangam, Gopanna gave protection to it. Sri Vedanta Desika has composed a verse expressing
gratitude to Gopanna for this service. Kempanna, who led a expedition to the South and annexed
territories for the Vijayanagar empire, was responsible for the renovation of several temples and
tanks. His wife, who accompanied him during this expedition, has recorded all this in a Kaavya
known as Madura Vijaya. In this way, Sri Vidyaranya helped to build up this empire on the sold
strength of our Sastras.
The Maharashtra empire founded by Shivaji has also a similar religious foundation. Samartha
Ramdoss, regarded as an incarnation of Sri Anjaneya, contributed spiritual strength to Shivaji,
and also functioned as his counsellor. Between them they accomplished great things. There is
none to equal Sri Anjaneya in intelligence, valour or devotion. Whenever Sri Rama's name is
uttered in devotion, there is present Sri Anjaneya, shedding tears of joy and devotion, says the
verse :
Yatra yaTRA Raghunatha keertanam

Tatra tantra Krtamastakanjalim;
Baashpa-vaari paripoorna lochanam
Marutim namata raakshasaantakam.
By worshipping Sri Anjaneya we will be endowed with intelligence, strength, yasas, courage,
fearlessness, health, gift and speech, etc.
Buddir-balam yaso dhairyam nirbhayatvam arogata,

Ajaadyam vaak-patutvancha Hanoomad smaranaat bhavet.
Let us try to acquire these qualities by worshipping Sri Anjaneya.
During the reign of Chola kings alos, wonderful achievements have been made on the strength of
religion; and people made enormous progress in Government, arts and education.
Some people are inclined to test the correctness of the teachings of a religion by the yardstick of
science. But we have seen how later investigation and research have disproved earlier scientific
theories. Therefore, how can the shifting theories of science establish the truth or otherwise or a
religion ? On the other hand, our Sastras have stood the test of times. Therefore, we must try to
understand the Sastras that are in vogue in our country. If we are unable to understand any
Sastra, we must not reject it and allow it to disappear. It is our duty to at least preserve it so that
posterity may profit by it. There are many truths in our Sastras which science has not yet
succeeded in unraveling. We speak of the seven wonders of the world; but have we paused to
study the wonderful achievements of our forefather ? There are in our temple architecture many
features, which modern engineering knowledge has failed to explain. What about the Kutub
Minar and the iron pillar at Delhi which have withstood exposure to the weather for over 1,000
years ? Do they not proclaim the skill of our ancestors in forging iron ?
Kingship has given place to democracy and therefore it has become the duty of the people
themselves to preserve the treasures lying imbedded in our Sastras. Instead we are frittering
away our energies in linguistic and other controversies. This is a feature of our present-day life,
which is very sad to contemplate. Last year, we became apprehensive of the very future of this
country, on account of the virulence of the controversy over re-organisation of States. It kings
fought amongst themselves in the past, people are forming themselves into groups and fighting
each other in the present. There is also the ideological conflict among the nations of the West. It
is desirable that all these controversies should end and peaceful progress of humanity is assured.
So far as we, in India, are concerned, we should devote some attention also, in the midst of our
other pre-occupations, to the study and the preservation of our Sastras. We should approach these
Sastras not in a spirit of scorn, thinking that in the modern scientific age they have nothing to
teach us, but, in a spirit of devotion of a seeker of truth. May Sri Anjaneya dower us with the
necessary strength, courage and wisdom to pursue the study of our Sastras, and may He bless us
all with happiness.
Way to Eternal Bliss
It is only a person who has developed a proper mental outlook that can face adversities without
being unduly perturbed. Such a person will have the equanimity of mind to comfort those who
go to him in any calamity. On the other hand, there are some persons who are upset even by the
smallest difficulty, because they have not developed the necessary mental equipoise. Pleasure
and pain are inevitable concomitants of life, and pain has to be endured to face good fortune
without undue elation and misfortune without undue depression is acquired by a proper mental
approach to things of this world. The source of all happiness is within ourselves. So long as we
grope for this source outside ourselves, we shall not fine peace or develop the necessary mental
equilibrium. That is the significance of the advice of Lord Krishna to Arjuna, when he said that
Isvara lives inside the hearts of all creation. Sri Krishna says further that by His divine power of
maaya, Isvara makes the universe function in a predetermined pattern, as if motivated or
impelled by a powerful machine. When we do our duty correctly, and surrender to Him
completely and unreservedly – a surrender which embraces all our mental and physical faculties
(Sarva bhaavena) – we become calm mentally and see things in their proper perspective.
The peace or saanti we aim at is not the outcome of fear, but the natural corollary to fearlessness.
That peace cannot come so long as we think that God is somewhere beyond our reach. The
seeker of saanti must keep his heart clean and clear (prasanna). Then only can we realise God
within us, or, in other words, we can secure the prasaada of Isvara. The two expressions,
prasanna and prasaada are synonymous prasaadostu prasannata, says Amara Kosa. When our
hearts are cleansed of all impurities and we are ready to leave the fruits of our action, be it
punishment or reward, to God. He indwells within us and blesses us with that supreme saanti
(paraam saanti). It is only such a bliss that is eternal (saasvatam); all the other kinds of bliss are
transient. This is the significance of the following verses of the Gita
Isvarah sarva bhootanaam hrid-dese Arjuna tishthati
Braamayam sarva bhootaani yantraaroodhaani maayayaa
Tameva saranam gaccha sarva-bhaavena Bhaarata

Tat prasaadaat paraam saantim sthaanam praapsyasi
Saasvatam
Value of Bhakthi
Karalagna mrgah kareendra bhango
Ghana-saardoola vikhandanosta jantuh:
Giriso visadakritischa cheetah
Kuhare panchamukho-asti me kuto bheeh.
Lord Narayana made up His mind to remain as a man when He incarnated as Rama, in order to
teach the world the importance of reverence or Bhakti towards father, mother, teacher and God.
He so identified Himself with His human role that He behaved exactly like an ordinary mortal
and when any one attributed to Him qualities of God, He reminded him that He as only a man –
Aatmaanam maanusham manye. Similarly though Sri Adi Sankara was Lord Siva incarnate, he
tried to inculcate Siva-bhakti in the people by his actions and writings. One such composition of
his is Sivaananda Lahari.
In the above verse occurring in Sivaananda Lahari, Siva is conceived of as having five faces,
four of them looking at each of the four directions, east, south, west and north, and the other
turning upwards. The upturned faced is called Eesaanam, while other four faces are called
Sadyajaatam, Vaamadevam, Aghoram, and Tarpurusham. Siva holds in his right hand a deer
(hence valam-kai-maan in Tamil), symbolic of the mind which is unsteady or restless. This
aspect of the mind is found referred to in the Gita in the words, chanchalam hi manah Krishna.
The deer is also by nature restless and timid and continuously turns its gaze hither and thither.
But when the same deer is held in the hand of Siva, it gazes into His benevolent eyes, keeps its
look steady there, forgets its fear and remains motionless, with a feeling of security and
happiness. Siva wears the hide of an elephant and that of a tiger. In the atmosphere of peace and
security that pervades in His presence, all creatures remain motionless and blissful, their mind
concentrated on Him and Him only. Where is fear, asks the great Acharya, when this five faced
Siva is in the cavity of my heart?
There is an interesting story about the manner in which Siva came to wear the hide of an
elephant. It is said some sages who believed that the observance of the rites prescribed in the
Vedas is everything and that there is no need to have devotion or bhakti to God, created an
elephant by their mantra power and set it to attack Siva, towards whom the wives of the sages
were attracted, even as Sri Krishna attracted towards himself the devotion of the Gopis. Isvara
performed his Oordhva Taandava, tossed the elephant about like a ball and ultimately tore it up
and covered Himself with its skin. On account of this dress, He came to be known as
Krithivasah. The Vedas use the expression, (Krithivasahpinaakee) in several places, Amara
Simha, a highly intellectual person, though a Jain has done full justice to the Vedic names of
God in his Sanskrit dictionary. When enumerating the names of Siva, he has included the Vedic
name, Krithivasah.
There is a story about the meeting between Sri Adi Sankara and Amara Simha. Both Jainism and
Buddhism expounded only truths which are within the comprehension of the intellect. Adi
Sankara was able to convince Amara Simha that the Ultimate Reality or Isvara Tatva, is
something beyond the reach of mere intellectual comprehension. Amara Simha thereupon started
consigning all his writing to the flames. Adi Sankara rushed forward to prevent him doing so, but
was in time only to save Amara Kosa, which has become a book of eternal value.
The Gita also teaches us that the Vedas and the rites enjoined therein are not the be all the end all
of our spiritual quest, but that there is also the Vedanta or the highest conception of the Supreme
which transcends the intellect. It is up to us all to develop Isvara-bhakti and derive happiness
herein and hereafter.
The description of Siva, the Lord of the universe, in this verse, can also be applied to the lion, the
Lord of the jungle, Panchaasya or panchamukha is one of the names for the lion, derived from
the fact that its head and mane together present a broad (pancha) appearance in contrast to its
wiry body. While roaming about, the lion catches hold of deer with ease and also kills the
elephant or tiger that corsses its path. Its den is known as kuhara, and when it is prowling about,
the other animals of the jungle remain hidden and motionless.
November 4, 1957Meditation on God

Naaraayanaaya nalinaayata lochanaaya
Naamaavaseshita mahaabali vaibhavaaya
Naanaa charaachara vidhaayaka janmadesa
Nabheeputaaya prushaaya namah parasmai
This verse occurs in Bhoja Champu and describes vividly the picture of Sriman Narayana as He
appeared to the Devas. This verse forms part of the Ramayana story composed by King Bhoja
and Poet Kalidasa, at a time when King Bhoja was made aware of the fact that he had only
ninety more minutes’ life in this world. This is a beautiful verse and contains rich ideas. The
milky white ocean and the white Adisesha bed provide the necessary relief or background to the
scintillating dark-blue body of Narayana. The very fact of His slumber is described as active
vigil in the protection of all the worlds and their contents. It is this apparently dormant energy,
which makes the entire universe function according to plan, that burst out into a dynamic force in
the form of Narasimha.
King Bhoja tricked poet Kalidasa into reciting his (Bhoja’s) Charamasloka, elegy on the death of
King Bhoja. Hearing that inspired poetry, King Bhoja, who was then in disguise, fell down dead.
At the entreaty of Kalidasa, the Divine Mother enabled King Bhoja to live another ninety
minutes. King Bhoja, when apprised of the situation, did not feel sorry for his imminent death,
but decided to utilise the brief retrieve vouchsafed to him in singing the praise of the Lord. That
is how the concise Ramayana containing the above verse came to be composed.
The moral is that we should employ even the few minutes of leisure we may be able to snatch in
between jobs in the thought of God or in reciting His naama.
October 25, 1957
Vyasa and Vedic Religion

Sage Vyasa is known as Veda Vyasa, as he classified and compiled together, the vast body of
Vedas or mantras then existing. He classified the Vedas in four, namely Rig, Yajur, Sama and
Atharvana and taught them respectively to four great Rishis – Sumantu, Vaisampayane, Jaimini
and Paila. Mantras are present around us as sound waves, and they are without beginning or end.
As a radio set picks up a broadcast sound, so also these great Rishis, by their yogic power, were
able to comprehend and master these sound waves vibrating around them. One meaning of the
word Rishi is that person who has seen the mantras. (Rishayo mantra-drashtaarah) Yogic power
endowed them with spiritual eyes with which they saw and registered in their minds the forms of
these mantras, even as Arjuna was able to see before him the Viswaroopa of the Lord The Vedas
have thus come down to us in their original form by the process of oral transmission from Guru
to be Sishya. The Vedas have to be learnt by competent persons in an attitude of devotion, and
with due observances of austerities and preserved for posterity.
Sage Vyasa also composed the 18 Puranas, which contain the purport of the Vedas and asked
Soota, a sage revered for his knowledge and devotion, to teach them to the world. The next great
service that Sri Vyasa did was to write a compendium of the truth of the Vedas in aphoristic from
known as Brahma Sutras. The Brahma Sutras were interpreted by the great Acharyas, who came
later, in their commentaries or Bhashyas. The commentaries most widely read are those of Sri
Adi Sankara, Sri Ramanuja, and Sri Madhwa. Whatever doctrinal differences may have arisen in
later times, we should not forget that the authority or the source of these commentaries is the
Brahma Sutras of Sri Veda Vyasa. India has evoked the esteem and admiration of other countries
for this remarkable achievement in the realm of spiritual culture and metaphysical thinking. It is
our duty to adore the great Sage Vyasa, who has made available to us the Vedas and remember
with gratitude the great Rishis who preserved them and passed them on to posterity in their
original purity by this process of oral transmission.
In addition to the Vedas, we have the body of Dharma Sutras which tell us what we should do
and should not do, to qualify ourselves for the study of the Vedas and which tell us how to
practise our religion. They are also known as the Smritis and are associated with the names of the
great Rishis like Parasara, Yaajnavalkya, Manu and others. Compendiums of these Smritis
known as Dharma-sastra-nibandhanam have been written by later authors. In the North the most
popular Nibandhanam is the one written by Kasinath Upadhyaya, while in the South, it is that
written by Vaidyanatha Dikshitar. The Vaidyanatha Dikshiteeyam is common to both
Vaishnavites and Saivites. Thus the Vedas and the Dharma Sastras are the foundation of our
religion.
One important difference between other religions and ours is that while other religions speak of a
direct relation between man and God, our religion speaks of a meditated relation established
through transcendental deities, each presiding over a particular aspect of worldly and spiritual
life. Sri Krishna says in the Gita that when Prajapati created men. He did so associating them
with the obligation to perform yajnas or sacrifices. The yajnas are our expression of gratitude for
benefits derived. The gods accepted our offerings through the sacrificial fire and blessed us in
return with all the good things of the world. As an after dinner toast honours even an absent
person in whose name it is proposed, the offerings made in the fire in a spirit of sacrifice saying
“na mama” (not mine), bring gratification to the gods to whom they are intended. The Vedic
rituals in a yajna are the process by which whatever is offered with a sense of renunciation is
transmitted to the Supreme Being through the proper channel, just as taxes are paid by us to the
Central Government, not directly, but through the persons or agencies authorised to collect them.
According to our religion, direct relation between man and God can be established only when on
is nearest to God. Such persons are Brahmajnanis and Sanyasis and they do not have to do any
ritual prescribed in Smritis. All others have to perform the rituals or karmas prescribed for them.
We must perform the Deva-karmas and the Pitru-karmas enjoined upon us and, understanding
the rationale behind such observances of karmas, preserve the Vedas and the Dharma Sastras,
and also remember with reverence and gratitude Sri Veda Vyasa, the Moola Purusha of our
religion.
October 14, 1957MOTHER ANNAPOORNA
When Sri Sankaran Bhagavatpada visited the shrine of Sri Annapoorna, during his stay in the
holy city of Kaasi, he composed a hymn in praise of the Devi in eight verses, known as
Annapoornaashtakam. This hymn is recited with great reverence throughout India. Each one of
these verses ends with the refrain,
“Bikshaam dehi kripaavalambanakaree maataannapoornesvaree.
One of the verses describes the Divine Mother as Aadikshaanta samasta varnanakaree. The
fiftyone letters of the alphabet from a ksha, go by the name of varna. Varna also means the four
castes. Another meaning of varna is colour. The Divine Mother is is soul of the varna or
alphabet. The sastras which are based on sabda (sound) are the sound forms of paradevata. Sabda
gives rise to forms – visible shapes. It is observed that when particular musical notes are played
near a pond, the resultant vibrations induce particles of light dust, floating on the water, to
arrange themselves into specific shapes. Thus sabda and roopa, sound and form, have close
affinity. This also accounts for the sanctity of mantras, which are words and letters combined and
arranged in specific forms. The repetition of a mantra, with devotion, earns for us the grace of
the particular manifestation of God for whom that mantra is dedicated. The Divine Mother is the
soul of all mantras.
The conception of Divinity as the Mother is unique and inspiring. In human relationship the
affection of a mother for her child is unsurpassed. Similarly, the depth of the Divine Mother’s
love for her devotees is unfathomable. The grace that flows from Her is spontaneous and
irresisble. That is why Sri Annapoorna is depicted as carrying a vessel containing ksheeraannam
(rice mixed with milk) in one hand and a ladle in the other. She is ready to distribute this food to
those who pray for it. In the abundance of Her mercy, She gives us not only food that sustains
our body, but also jnana that nourishes the soul. When Sri Adi Sankara prayed to Mother
Annapoorna to give him alms, he prayed not only for himself but for all mankind. We are all
members of one family., being the children of the Divine Parents, Paravati and Paramesvara. It is
our duty to love, help, and serve one another.
There is a temple dedicated to Sri Annapoorneswari at Cherukunnam in Kerala. Every devotee

who worships at that temple is served with food. The tradition is that in the night, after every one
is fed, a packet of food is left tied to the branch of a tree, the idea being that even the thief who
prowls about in the night should not go without food.
Let us reverentially pray to Mother Annapoorna by reciting the immortal Annapoornaashtakam

of Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada and earn Her grace for the welfare of the entire world.
May 16, 1958
DIVINE MOTHER AS KANAKA PARAMESWARI
(“The message given by His Holiness when he visited the Kothwal Bazar in Chennai and the Sri
Kanyaka Parameswari temple inside the market”).
We wash our bodies and clothes daily in order to get rid of the accreted dirt and keep them clean.
Impurity gets attached to our mind also, during every waking moment of our life, as a result of
bad thoughts, wrong desires and passions like anger. It behoves us to cleanse our minds also
every day, so that impurity may not go on accumulating and cause us sorrow, sufferings and
difficulties. The only water that can wash off mental impurity is the water of dhyana or
meditation. We should, therefore, concentrate our thoughts on God at least for a few moments
every day and invoke His grace to cleanse our hearts. However, bad a man may be, all evil
thoughts within him recede to the background in the presence of his mother. Similarly in the
presence of the Divine Mother, all of us can get rid of our mental impurity. The Divine Mother,
in the form of Sri Kanyaka Parameswari, has been installed in this temple. The genius of our
ancients is responsible for conceiving the Mother of all creation as a virgin (kanni). It is the duty
of all to visit a temple everyday, meditate on the form of god installed in that temple, and pray
for the washing off of all the impurities of mind. If we do so, all our troubles will melt away like
dew before the sun; we shall be successful and happy, and our families will also prosper.
The manifestation of the Divine Mother as Sri Kanyaka Parameswari is sacred to the Arya Vysya
community. She is the same Mother, who, in Her manifestation as Kamakshi, has been installed
at Kancheepuram. Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada has installed a Sri Chakra also inside that temple,
and established the Kamakoti Peetam. The object of establishing various Peetas by Sri
Bhagavatpada was to remind the succeeding generations of the sacred injunctions contained in
the Sastras, so that people may not get deflected from the right path.
With the passage of time, many changes have crept into our society. Food prohibited by the
Sastras is being eaten and there is generally a deterioration in the moral standards. The
classification of society into castes and communites was not classification of society or to
accentuate differences. It was intended to form convenient groups, whose welfare could be
attended to by panchayats of elders, without impairing the solidarity as a whole. Such grouping
was based on duties, and the elders of each group saw to it that the group functioned properly
and that people belonging to the group or community did not deviate from the right path. When
such panchayats or nattanmai functioned, disputes were settled in the presence of God and
wrongdoers were asked to make some offering to Him. In that way, the moral standards of the
people were being maintained at a high level. The state had to step in only to protect the people
from external aggression. Society functioned as smoothly as a well-organised factory, each man
doing his allotted duty and all contributing to the common welfare.
As the occupant of the Kamakoti Peetam, I feel it my duty to remind you of our glorious
traditions and of the correct conduct of life as laid down in the Sastras. The strength of the
Peetam is the affection that voluntarily flows from the hearts of the devotees. It is on this
foundation and with this capital of affection that I can function. What attracts a foreigner to India
is not the wealth of this country, but the spiritual message she has given and is giving. That
message will have enhanced value when the people of this country adhere to the way of life laid
down in the Sastras – the Sastras that proclaimed the spiritual message. I hope you will
remember this truth and so conduct yourself with devotion, as to earn the grace of the Divine
Mother. May the Divine Mother bless you with hapiness and prosperity.
April 6, 1958
DEVOTION TO BHAVANI
Singing the praise of Ambika, Bhagavatpada says in Soundarya Lahari that so great is the mercy
of the Mother that the moment the Bhakta (devotee) began his prayer with the words, Bhavaani
tvam, Ambika did not even wait till he completed his prayer, but conferred on him saayujya, viz.,
the merger of the soul with the Mother.
“Bhavaani tvam daase mayi vitara drishtim sakarunaam Iti stotum vaanchan kathayati
bhavani tvamitiyah; Tadaiva tvam tasmai disasi nija-saayujya-padaveem Mukunda-
brahmendra sphuta-makuta neeraajita padaam”.
When the devotee began saying Bhavaani tvam, he was only addressing the Divine Mother by
calling Her Bhavaani, and invoking Her grace, though the expression can also be interpreted as
meaning, “May I become You”. It is this merger with the Supreme that the Mother granted as
soon as She heard the words “Bhavaani tvam”. The significance of this verse is that one imbued
with true devotion gets things unasked.
The saayujya the devotee attains by Her grace is the condition of supreme saanti, like that which
rivers attain when they merge in the ocean. The same condition of peace and bliss is reached by
the bhakta who starting from dvaita bhaava (feeling of duality of himself and God) reaches
saayujya or oneness with Isvara through Her grace.
DIVINE MOTHER - THE BESTOWER OF PROSPERITY
There is a reference in Mooka Panchasati that Goddess Kamakshi caused a shower of gold in
Tundeeram (Tondaimandalam) to relieve the sufferings of the people. This allusion is
substantiated by the existence of a place which goes by the name of Pon Vilainda Kalathur in the
Chingleput District. There is also a tradition that Sri Vedanta Desika, the renowed Sarvatantra
Swatantracharya, who established the Vaishnava Sampradaya, prayed to the Goddess of Wealth,
Sri Mahalakshmi, by composing and reciting Sri Stuti and obtained gold for giving it to a
Brahmachari. This Brahmachari is said to have been sent by some people envious of Sri Vedanta
Desika and this youth begged for gold so that he could get himself married. This incident also
seems to have taken place somewhere in the region known as Tondaimandalam.
Sri Kanakadharastavam of Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada is a widely known composition. The

circumstances which led to thecomposition and recitation of this prayer is interesting. After his
Upanayana, performed at a very early age, Sri Sankara rigorously followed the injunctions of the
brahmacharya life and lived on the food obtained by begging or biksha. In the course of his daily
biksha rounds, he stood at the threshold of a poor Brahmin, one day, and asked for alms, by
uttering the prescribed formula, Bhavati bikshaam dehi. The master of the house, who himself
lived on the charity of his neighbours, was away and the lady of the house, who possessed a
magnanimous heart, wanted to give something to this child with a divine countenance. Her
search resulted in unearthing only a small amalaka fruit. This she deposited in the begging bowl
devoutly, her heart melting at the thought that she had nothing better to offer. Sri Sankara
divined the situation and realised that the small gift came from a heart as expansive as the sky
itself. He composed and sang the 18 verses, which go by the name of Sri Kanakadharastavam.
Sri Mahalakshmi responded to the prayer and showered golden fruits inside the house of the poor
Brahmin couple and banished their poverty. Incidentally this was also the first composition of Sri
Sankara.
There is internal evidence in the stotra itself to substantiate this story. The verse providing this
evidence is :
“Dadyaat dayaanupavano dravina-ambudhaaraam Asmin-akinchana vihanga sisau vishanne

Dushkarma gharmam-apaneeya chiraaya dooram Naaraayana-pranayinee
nayanaambuvaahah”.
In this verse, Sri Sankara prays that impelled by the wind of kindness (dayaanupavano) of Sri
Mahalakshmi who is the beloved of Sri Narayana (Naaraayana pranayini) the cloud of her glance
(nayana-ambuvaahah) should shower (daadyaar) the rain of wealth (dravina-ambudhaaram)
driving away to a distance (apaneeya chiraaya dooram), the scorching heat (gharmam) of the past
sins (dushkarma) of this suffering (vishanne) fledgling (vihangasisu). The bird referred to here is
the mythical chaataka, which can quench its thirst only when rain falls. The utter helplessness of
the poor householder is indicated by a comparison to the fledgling of chaataka. To meet the
possible objection that the householder’s present plight is the consequence of his past wrong
deeds (dushkarma), Sri Sankara says that this prayer, on his behalf, should be sufficient to
absolve him of all his past sins.
While the other verses in this stotra are all in praise of the Divine Mother, this particuolar verse
alone contains the request for wealth. In the same way as showers relieve the parched condition
of the scorching summer heat, he prays that the cooling grace of the Mother should relieve the
sufferings of the poor householder.
“Ishtaavisishtamatayopi yayaa dayaardra- Drshtyaa trivishtapapadam sulabham labhante;

Vrshtih prahrshta kamalodaradeeptirishtaam Pushtim krsheeshta mama
pushkaravishtaraayaah Geerdevateti garudadhwaja-sundareeti Sakambhareeti sasisekhara-
vallabheti; Srshti-sthiti-pralaya kelishu samsthitaayai Tasyai
namasstribhuvanaikagurostarunyai”.
In the first of the above two verses, also occurring in Sri Kanakadhaaraastavam, Sri Sankara
prays for the bestowal of desired prosperity (Ishtaam pushtim), wealth, crop, family, etc. Here
Sri Sankara indicates that even those who perform the prescribed rites to qualify them for a place
in heaven, can attain that status only when the benevolent glance of the Divine Mother, seated on
the lotus, falls on them. The second verse indicates the true nature of the Mother. It also teaches
that the Divine Mother, known by different names as Saraswati, Lakshmi, Saakambhari &
Parvati, are but manifestations of the same Supreme Divinity, who is none else than that Creative
Energy, who forms part of the static Paramatma (Tribhuvanaika Guru), both together constituting
the Father and Mother of the universe, and to whom creation, preservation, and destruction are
mere sport (keli).
If we too recite this Sri Kanakadhaaraastavam with devotion, we shall be relieved of poverty,
sufferings and afflictions and sins (daaridrya, taapa and paapa).
UMA – PARAMATMA SWAROOPA
The Upanishads are also known as Veda-siras, or the crown of the Vedas. There are ten main
Upanishads and one of them is Kena Upanishad. In this Upanishad, a truth expounded by the
Vedas is explained by means of a story. According to this story, the devas once decided to
celebrate their victory over the asuras. At this festival, all the devas were filled with a feeling of
self importance and pride in their own prowess. To cure them of their egoism, God appeared in
the form of a Yaksham, a bright apparition which touched the earth below and the heavens
above. The identidy of this phenomenon the devas were unable to comprehend. Agni (fire) was
sent to find out what it was. To a question from the Yaksham, Agni said that he was Jatavedas
having the power to reduce anything and everything to ashes. Thereupon, the Yaksham threw in
front of Agni a blade of grass and asked him to consume it. Even though Agni concentrated all
his powers, he was unable to burn it. He came back humbled. Similarly, Vaayu or Maatarisva
also failed to move the blade of grass, even though he concentrated all his fury to blow it off.
Finally, Indra, the Lord of the Devas, approached the Yaksham. The apparition vanished and
before the crest-fallen Indra stood the form of a damsel whose lustre illuminated the entire place.
She was no other than Uma or Haimavati, the Divine Mother, from whom every one and
everything derives sustenance. This jyoti-swaroopa informed Indra that the Yaksham who was
present a while back was no other than Paramatma, the source of all energy and life, and that if
the devas had succeeded in conquering the asuras it was due to the grace of that Paramatma.
Indra became enlightened and humble and he communicated this knowledge to the other devas.
The knowledge destroyed the demon of egoism from their hearts, which then became pure.
Uma, the Divine Mother, is the personification of pranava (Om). She is brightness in light and
fragrance in flowers. She has the illumination of a thousand suns and yet has the soothing
coolness of a thousand moons. Along with Isvara, she is the Paramatma-swaroopa sung by the
Vedas.
It is this idea that is conveyed by the following verse in Soundarya Lahari :
“Sruteenaam moordhaano dadhati tava yau sekharatayaa, Mamaapi-etau maatah sirasi

dayayaa dhehi charanau; Yayoh paadyam pathah pasupati jataa-joota tatini; Yayor-laakshaa
lakshmih-aruna hari choodamani ruchih-“
In this stanza Sri Adi Sankara prays to the Mother (maatah), to place Her divine feet, the feet
which shine in the crown of the Vedas (sruteenaam moordhaano), even on his head, in the
plenitude of Her mercy (dayayaa). The quality of the divine feet is explained in the last two lines.
The waters with which those feet are washed (paadyam), becomes the river Ganges, flowing over
the matted hair of Pasupati. The beautiful lac colour of those feet is caused by the lustre of the
red crest-jewel of Hari. It is significant that Adi Sankara gives expression to his humility by once
again using the expression maamapi, even mine. In another sloka in Soundarya Lahari also, he
has used maamapi when begging the Divine Mother to bathe even him with the glance of Her
soothing eyes – Snapaya kripaya maamapi sive.
Let us surrender ourselves at the Mother’s feet which the Vedas praise, get purified of heart, and
attain lasting bliss.
November 15, 1957

DIVINE MOTHER’S KATAKSHA
“Drsaa draagheeyasyaa dara-dalita-neelotpala-ruchaa daveeyaamsam deenam snapaya

krpayaa maamapisive; Anena-ayam dhanyo bhavanti na cha te haanir-iyataa Vane vaa
harmye vaa samakara nipato himakarah”.
This verse is from Soundarya Lahari, composed by Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada. Addressing the
Divine Mother, Sive, Sri Acharya requests Her to bathe even him, who is helpless and standing
at a great distance, with the far-reaching glance of Her soothing blue eyes, beautiful as a half-
blossomed blue lily. By this act, the Acharya says, the Mother stands to lose nothing while he, a
deena, will be blessed and enabled to achieve the goal of life. The soothing cool moonlight falls
equally on a forest and a beautiful mansion. By this verse, Sri Adi Sankara seeks to convey the
idea that the range of the benevolent look or kataaksha of the Divine Mother is long enough to
embrace everything and every one in this wide world.
The Divine Mother is part of Isvara. Sri Adi Sankara, an incarnation of Isvara, is the embodiment
of the Divine Mother also. Yet for the purpose of instilling bhakti in the minds of the people, he
humbles himslef by describing himself as deena, or helpless, and considers himself as standing in
the last place in the queue of people waiting to receive the grace of the Mother. By invoking Her
to bless “even him” (maamapi), he suggests, by inference, the existence of persons more
deserving than himself to receive Her grace. On the other hand, he describes the glance of the
Mother as reaching the far ends of the Universe and embracing everything. It is in such a spirit of
humility and intense devotion that Sri Adi Sankara has given to us a rich devotional treasure in
the form of Soundarya Lahari and it is up to us to benefit from it.
November 6, 1957
Nature of the Vedic Religion
We should all strive to cultivate lofty and noble sentiments, and , eschewing all bad and selfish
thoughts, live in a spirit of devotion to God and love for fellowmen. Human stature increases in
proportion to the nobility of human thought and deed. The spirit of selfless service, the readiness
to sacrifice, devotion to God , and love for and goodwill towards all, and hatred for none, are the
outcome of highly developed mind, and go by the name of culture. Culture is known as KALAA
in Sanskrit, and arts like music, painting, etc., are regarded as the outward expression of this high
culture.
It is interesting to note the verbal affinity that exists between the works KALAA, CULTURE,
KAL(the Tamil word for learn ), KALAASAALA, and college. A man of culture is kin with the
whole world. He is the friend of all and enemy of none. For him the three worlds are his home
land ( SVADESO BHUVANATRAYAM). The culture of people is judged by the soundness of
the heart of the people taken as a whole, though there may be individuals with defects and
deficiencies.
The touchstone of the culture of a nation is the inspired sayings of its immortal poets ( MAHA
KAVI), whose poems have stood the test of time. These immortal poems flow from the fullness
of their heart and are the expressions of the noble culture which they represent and in which they
are steeped. These great poets have no private axe to grind. Having no pet theories or sectarian
SIDHAANTAAS to bolster up, they have no need to import specious arguments in their poetry.
They give expression to truth ; their insight into truth gives them the courage of utterance. Their
authority is accepted to prove the culture of the people in whose midst they flowered. Homer and
Shakespeare are two among such great poets in the West, and in our country Kalidasa and Baana
are great poets without a peer. It is said that the ring finger came to be called ANAAMIKA in
Sanskrit, because a person who wanted to take a count how great poets, counted first Kalidasa on
his little finger, but could not think of any fit person to count on the next(ring) finger. So that
finger came to be known as nameless or ANAAMIKA. As regards the greatness of Baana, there
is a saying that other poets used the crumbs that were left over in Baana's
plate(BAANOCCHISHTAM JAGAT SARVAM). Thus, these poets have come to be regarded
as great masters. Their verdict is accepted as authority, not only in matters pertaining to culture,
but in religious matters also.
In the context of our daily life, we are frequently called upon to determine the nature of our
duties, or DHARMA. The question arises, what is our Dharma and from what authority is it
derived? Ordinarily, the enactments of the legislature, i.e. the laws of the state, regulate our
public conduct. These laws derived their sanction from the constitution adopted by the
representatives of the people. The laws are also enacted by the elected representatives of the
people. It does not require much argument to show that the voters are of various grades of
intellectual and moral calibre, and that not all the representatives they elect are the best that
could be found. Such a state of affairs is inevitable in this imperfect world. Some of the laws
may not also be perfect from the moral point or view. That is why occasionally we hear judges
remarking that they decided a point according to law, though they are not convinced of its moral
correctness.
In our day-to-day personal and moral conduct, signified by the expression DHARMA, our
religion has declared that we should be guided by the ordinance of the Vedas. It is declared that
Veda is the source of all DHARMA( Vedokhilo dharma moolam). To illustrate the vastness of
Veda, there is a story that what Sage Bhardwaja was able to learn was compared to a handful of
dust taken from mountain the mountain representing the Vedas. If a doubt arises, which cannot
be solved with reference to the Vedas, we are enjoined to seek guidance from Smritis. It is a
mistake to regard the authors of the SMRITIS , like Manu, Yajnavalkya and Parasara, as law-
givers. SMRITIS are merely AIDE MEMOIRE or short notes, meant to indicate what are
contained in the Vedas. The authors of the SMRITIS did not write anything new, apart from
what is contained in the SRUTI or the Vedas. There is authority of Kalidasa to this proposition.
Describing the manner in which SUTEEKSHNA followed, for a short distance, her husband ,
King Dileepa, when he took Nandini out to graze every morning, Kalidasa states that she
followed the footsteps of Nandini, like SMRITI following the meaning (footsteps) of
SRUTI(Sruterivaartham smritiranvaghacchat,). Kalidasa has unambiguously established that the
way as Sutekshna following Nandini only for a short distance, the SMRITIS only briefly indicate
what SRUTI contain.
If we are unable to get the necessary guidance to clear out doubt either from the SRUTI or from
the SMRITIS, we are asked to be guided by the conduct of those who know and follow
SMRITIS. When this guidance is not available, we are asked to model our conduct on the action
of good people who have conquered desires and ego, and are pure in heart. When even this
source of guidance fails. We have to abide by the dictates of our conscience. That is how
Dushyanta reconciles himself to the love which sprang up in his breast at the sight of Sankuntala
in Sage Kanva's aasrama. Being aware that it is wrong for a KSHATRIYA to fall in love with
daughter of a sage, he concludes that having entertained no evil thought before, his conscience
could not have misled him into falling in love with a wrong person.
PRAMAANAMANTAHKARANA-PRAVRTTYAYAH, says Kalidas. It is to be noted that Sri
Vedanta Desika in his RAHASYATRAYASAARAM has quoted this KAVI-VAKYA, this
authority of Kalidas, in support of a proposition enunciated by him. Kumarila Bhatta has also
cited Kalidasa's authority in his work.
In these days it is fashion to give preference to conscience and relegate all other Sastraic
guidances to a secondary place, or, as is often done, to condemn them a antiquated , meaningless
and irrational. But according to our SASTRAS, the appeal to the conscience must come as the
last resort, when all other guidances like SRUTI, SMRITI, etc., are not available. The modern
view is at variance with classical view of the authorities on dharma. The ancient view has stood
the test of time and makes for enduring and eternal sanction in respect of ethical conduct. This
view has been voiced in the utterances of MAHAKAVIS like Kalidasa, whose voice is Truth,
which is glory and the prerogative of great poets.
Foreign critics of our Vedic religion fling at us the cheap gibe, "What a host of gods and
goddesses you worship!" This charge of polytheism leveled against our religion is entirely wrong
and is born out of ignorance of the fundamental teachings of the Vedas. This what Baana says on
this subject :
" Rajo jushe janmaani satva-vrrtaye

Sttitau prajaanam pralaye tamsprse
Ajaya sarga stthiti nasa hetave
Trayeemayaya trigunaatmane namah."
In this verse Baana says that the One God appears in the three forms of Brahma, Vishnu, Siva,
for a three-fold purpose, namely creation, protection and dissolution, which functions are
determined respectively by the qualities or GUNAAS of RAJAS(H), SATVA and TAMAS. That
One is the unborn (Aja) and is the cause of these triple process. He is trayeemaya, compound of
the three aforesaid qualities. He is trayeemaya also in the sense that He is claimed by the trayi or
the Vedas . Kalidasa expresses more or less the same idea when he says :
" Ekaiva moortirbibhide tridhaasaa

Saamaanyameshaam pratha maavaratvam;
Vishnor-harastasya harh kadaachit,

Vedhastayostaaavapi dhaaturaadyau."
One moorti (manifestation in the form ) appears as three, and there is no question of any One of
the Three being superior or inferior to the other Two , says Kalidasa. If Brahma, Vishnu, Siva are
One in essence , the, by the same token, all the Gods of the Hindu pantheon are also one in the
ultimate analysis. Then why this wrangling that one god is superior to the rest? Some assert that
the deity they worship is alone the highest . To a man standing under the arch at one end of a
bridge , all the other arches will appear smaller than the one under which he is standing. But we
are aware that all the arches of a bridge are of the same span. Similarly, to the votary of a
particular deity, all other deities will appear inferior on account of his attachment to the deity of
his choice. But the truth is that all deities are manifestations, in particular ways , of one God.
God is the final of all the things of the world. If we take the example of a tree, we will find that it
is soil an d water that help the seed grow into a mighty tree. The source from which the tree
came into existence from a seed, is the soil and water. The tree is sustained during its existence
by the same soil and water. When the tree dies, it resolves itself into the soil and water from
which it sprang. The essence or truth of the tree is the soil. It is the same for all material things
like trees which constitute the world. This principle of an identical source is applicable in the
case of other forms of creation , including animals endowed with intelligence. As there is a
"universal soil " at the back of "individual" soil from the which a tree springs , by which it lives
and into which it disappears, so too there must be Superior Intelligence (Perarivu) of which our
intelligence are but minute fractions. That Superior Intelligence or Chit is God. He is Ananda or
Bliss. He is the one existent or Sat. He is responsible for creation in conjunction with Rajo guna,
for preservation motivated by Satva guna and for destruction under the impact of Tamo guna.
Thus God is trigunaatma. One appearing as Three. Ekaiva moortih bibhide tridhasaa.
Parabrahmam, which is without attributes(Nirguna) which is pure or suddha satva, becomes the
personal God or Isvara. Isvara has to perform these three functions of creation, protection and
dissolution. But the Suddha Satva Isvara is static. He has to become dynamic to perform the act
of creation. Rajo guna supplies the energy to act, and so, in conjunction with it, the one primal
God becomes Brahma, The Creator. What is created must be maintained and made to grow and
flourish. That is accomplished by Iswara assuming Satva guna. In that aspect, He is Vishnu,
whose consort is Lakshmi, the embodiment and bestover of prosperity. To bring about death, or
the end of things created association with Tamo guna becomes necessary. That aspect of Isvara is
Siva. It is to be remembered that the Samhaara kaarya (dissolution) associated with Siva does not
signify cruelty on His part. It only betokens His mercy for the created, by which He gives rest to
the ignorant souls, who have a balance of unrequited karma, for the duration of the Pralaya,
before they are pushed in to the next cycle of the Birth to work out their residual karmaas. These
three attributes, Rajoguna, Satvaguna, and Tamoguna , do not really belong to Iswara. He is
Suddha Satva Swaroopa. He gets mixed with each of the three gunaas for definite purposes, and
appears in different forms as a result. Only His appearances are different; not His essence.
This characterisation of Brahmaa, Vishnu and Siva as denoting Rajoguna, Satvaguna, and
Tamoguna respectively, is not absolute either. Vishnu, who is considered as symbolising
Satvaguna, has, on occasions, taken upon Him self Tamoguna, standing for destruction, as His
Avataar as Narasimhaa. In the Rama Avataara, when He fought Khara Dooshana, Kumbha
Karna and Ravana, and also when he threatened to dry up the ocean, He assumed Tamoguna.
Vaalmiki very appropriately describes this aspect when He says that Rama took up on him self
intense anger, Kopamaahaarayan Theevram. Anger is the effect of Tamoguna. Per contra, Siva,
who nature is said to be Tamoguna, being the manifestation responsible for destruction, likewise
assumes Satvaguna in His aspect as Nataraja and as Dakshina Moorti.
Thus these forms of God are not distinct and different. They are three manifestations of the same
Divinity assuming aspects for different purposes, and according to the predilections and tastes of
the worshipers. It is wrong to speak of gradations of excellence among them or to say they are
diverse and different. The forms may appear different, the names may be different, but the truth
is one. It is One that becomes Three, and then Thirty Three, and then Thirty Three Crores,
according to the numberless varieties of functions of Divinity. This is the basic fact declared by
the Mahaakavis and their words must determine us in our devotion and religious practices.
January 4, 1958.
Value of Prayer
In this life we are faced with various kinds of difficulties, afflictions and sorrows. We go to a
doctor to get relief for our bodily ailments. We approach numerous authorities for obtaining
solution for our worldly problems. We also pray to God. Our great men have given guidance as
to how to pray and what to pray for. There is one school of thought which says that we should
pray to God only for our spiritual salvation. But there are others who think that we owe a duty to
the members of the family, and, in the discharge of that duty, we have perforce to invoke the
blessings of God by prayer. This is a proper approach and, therefore, even when we have to go to
human agencies to get relief, we should first submit our difficulties and troubles to God.
Lord Sri Krishna says in the Gita :
Chaturvidhaa bhajante-maam janaah sukritinorjuna;

Aarto jijnaasur-arthaarthee jnaanee cha bharatarshabha.
Bhagavan mentions four categories of persons who pray to God. The first category is denoted by
the term Aartah, i.e., those who are suffering physically and mentally, afflicted by diseases, pain,
poverty, troubles, difficulties, etc. They pray to God to lighten their burden and make their
existence tolerable. The second category of persons is denoted by the term Jijnaasu those, who
are thirsting for knowledge and are eager to get at the truth of things. The expression Arthaarthee
denotes the class of people who are fairly well off in the world, but desire to be blessed with
more of the good things of life, so that they can live free from troubles and sorrow and also serve
others. The last category of persons is denoted by the term Jnaani, those who have acquired
Jnaana or wisdom and realised the Supreme Truth. They are people who have realised that there
is nothing outside God and that all is God. Yet they too pray. Their prayer is described in the
Gita as prayer with the realisation that Vaasudeva is all (Vaasudeva sarvamiti).
A person may have everything that contributes to happiness, and yet, if he has not developed the
proper frame of mind, he cannot be happy and contented. When his mind is a slave to discontent,
anger and envy, he cannot have peace and happiness. Like water kept in a leaky pot, everything
he has will prove useless to him. Therefore, we should first of all seek God's help to cleanse our
minds of all passions and impurities. Sri Adi Sankara has given us proper guidance in the matter
of prayer in his Shatpadee Stotram, the opening verse of which is :
Avinayam apanaya vishno

Damaya manah samaya vishaya mriga-trishnaam;
Boota dayaam vistaaraya
Taaraya samsaara saagaratah
Vinaya is a quality which is associated with a cultured gentleman. Gentleness, humility,

consideration for others, freedom from egoism- these are some of the virtues we associate with
Vinaya. In fact, the purpose of education is to make one acquire Vinaya (Vidyaa vinaya
sampannah). According to our Sastraas, a Guru's (teacher's) duty is to inculcate Vinaya in his
pupils. So also, the primary duty of the king is to see that his subjects are people endowed with
the virtue of Vinaya. Then his second duty is to protect his subjects, i.e., to see that they get
education, and are gainfully employed and are free from wants. Governing and protecting his
subjects from external aggression and internal disorders come last-Vinayaa daana, rakshana and
bharana.
Because of the emphasis on Vinaya, the expression Vineya is used to denote a disciple. The
meaning of the word Vineya is one who is to be equipped with Vineya. Sri Padmapaada Acharya
in a verse 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. A student is called Sishya in Sanskrit, because he
has to undergo training or Siksha under a Guru. In the present day, the term Siksha is applied
either for training in music or for punishment. Probably the term Sikh must have been derived
from Sikshaka or Guru. The religious head of the Sikhs is known as Guru. The followers being
his Sishyas or those who had undergone Siksha under him, the term Sikh probably came to be
used to denote the followers.
Therefore, in the Shatpadee Stotra, Sri Adi Sankara prays to God to remove Avinaya, evils like
arrogance, which are opposite qualities to Vinaya. Vinaya is an accretion that comes to be
attached to persons, and if that is removed, Vinaya will express itself naturally. Then Sri Adi
Sankara prays to God to keep his mind under control (Damaya manah). When the mind is
brought under control, it will cease to race after transient pleasures, and will remain steady in the
thought of God. The next prayer is to eradicate the desires prompted by the senses. (Samaya
vishaya mrigatrishnaam) when we no longer hanker after worldly pleasures. Our heart begins to
beat in harmony with the rest of the world, and we acquire a broad and sympathetic outlook. So
Sri Adi Sankara next prays to enlarge his compassion for all creation (Bhoota dayaam
vistraaraya). When the mind is so elevated spiritually step by step, the inevitable result will be
the end of birth and death or the crossing of the ocean of Samsaara. So he prays, Taaraya
samsara saagaratah.
There is an aptness in the use of the term Mriga trishna in connection with pleasures of the
senses. The meaning of Mriga is deer. When there is drought and deer are wandering in quest of
drinking water, they drift towards the desert. They mistake the mirage in the desert for drinking
water and run in pursuit of it and ultimately collapse and die. Similarly Kaama, Krodha and other
passions, generated in us by our senses, are like mirage which drives us ultimately to our
destruction.
When speaking the desert, another interesting thought occurs. Probably due to certain geological
causes, deserts have come to be formed in places which were once an expanse of the sea. Sahara
is a desert and the name might have been derived from Saagara, the Sanskrit term for the sea. By
reason of these expanses being landlocked, and the absence of rivers flowing into them and on
account of continuos process of evaporation by the sun's heat through the ages, the "Saagara"
became "Sahara". In India, there are deserts in Rajasthan and in Sanskrit, a desert is called
Maruvaatika. The terms Marwar and Marwadi are likely to have been derived from Maruvaatika.
The Shatpadee Stotra is a beautiful composition. In one of the verses, Sri Adi Sankara has
employed the poetical technique known as Antaadi, the word with which one verse ends being
used as the opening word of the next verse. The verse in question is :
Uddhritanaga nagabhidanuja danuja-kula-mitra mitrasasidrishte

Drishte bhavati prabhavati na bhavati kim bhavatiraskaarah.
It will be noticed that Sri Bhagavatpada has employed the last word in a phrase, as the first word
for the next phrase in the same Sloka. After the six verses of the Shatpadee Stotra, the seventh
and concluding verse is :
Naaraayana karunaamaya saranam karavaani taavakau charanaau

Iti shatpadi madeeye vadana-saroje sadaa vasatu.
The beauty of this verse is that expression Iti Shatpadi (foregoing shatpadi or six verses) is
applicable not only to six verses that have preceded, but also to the six words, Naaraayana,
Karunaamaya, Saranam, Karavaani, Taavakau, and Charanau, occurring at the beginning of this
verse itself. Bhagavatpada says, "Let these six verses (and also the six words of the last verse)
reside always in my mouth", meaning, bless me to constantly repeat them, even as the Shatpadi
(bee) resides in a lotus (Saroje).
The sixth verse in this Stotra is :
Damodara gunamandira sundara vadanaaravinda govinda

Bhavajaladhi mathana-mandara paramam daramapanaya tvam me
The Lord, addressed in this verse as Damodra, one who bears the marks of the rope with which
he was tied up by His mother, Yasoda, is described as Gunamandira, the abode of all qualities.
Here is a beautiful synthesis of the conception of God as both Saguna(possessing attributes) and
Nirguna (Attributeless). It is only when all the colours in the light mix together that we get the
colourless rays of the sun. Similarly, by virtue of being the abode of attributes, God becomes
Nirguna, attribute-less. In the like manner, the term "Sundaravadanaaravinda", in this sloka,
brings to our mind the idea that even people God like to contemplate on God. Even when they
have experienced the bliss flowing from the realisation of the identity of the Jivatma and the
Paramatma, and also have realised that God is in everything and everything is in God , they
prefer to put aside, for a little while, the experience of this oneness with God, and to contemplate
on Him as One slightly different from themselves, like the apparent difference between waves
and the ocean, and to enjoy the darling divine form of Krishna. Sri Madhusoodhana Saraswati,
that great apostle of advaita, in one of his verses, finds indescribable beauty even in the yawning
of the child, Krishna, as He gets up in the morning. The expression "Bhavajaladhimandira",
brings home to us that fact that we have to find salvation only by going through the trials and
tribulations of this life. The taste of the thousands of leaves and barks of a tree may be
disagreeable. Yet it blossoms and yields sweet fruits. The trials and tribulations of family life are
but necessary steps leading to the sweetness of salvation. The only condition required is that we
should not lose our hold of God, who is the churning stick ( mandara) to churn the amrita of
salvation from the ocean of births and deaths.
It is significant to note that while the teaching of the Lord in the Gita begins with the words,
Asochyaan anva sochastvam--( you grieve over persons unfit to be grieved for), and ends with
ma suchah --(don't grieve). The Shatpadee Stotra of Sri Adi Sankara begins with Avinayam
apanaya and ends with Apanaya Tvam Me.
The prayer of Sri Adi Sankara to bless him to recite the Shatpadee stotra constantly is meant for
us. Let these verses and the prayers contained therein be constantly on our lips, so that we can
safely cross the ocean of samsaara, and find refuge in Him.
February 25 1958.
THE TEACHING OF VEDANTA
In some context or other, we constantly come across or hear the word "Vedanta". When any
person's conversation becomes a little above the average standard or has the tinge of a sermon,
we say " You are talking Vedanta". In the Gita, the Lord says that He is the origin of Vedanta.
Literally, Vedanta means the end or the concluding portion of the Veda. In any well-written
essay, the writer will indicate the subject matter at the beginning and record his conclusions at
the end. Therefore, any intelligent person, by reading the Upakrama (beginning and conclusion)
of a thesis, will get any idea of what is about. Similarly, if we take any section of the Veda and
read its beginning and its end, we will be able to grasp what that section deals with.
The constitution of any country and its laws are limited by time and place - kaala and desa. But
the vedas are the eternal laws or Sanatana Dharma. That is why when a person asserts a position
taken up by him, though a different view is possible, we say, "Are your words the words of the
Veda?" Isvara is Veda Swaroopi or embodiment of the vedas, and one of the Veda Mantra says
that Maheswara dwells at the beginning and the end of the Veda.
Yo vedaadau swarah prakto vedantecha pratishtitah.
The Vedas frequently use the expression idam, atha, tat and etat. Idam refers to that which is
near, atha to that which is not so proximate, and tat to that which is distant. In this context, it is
worthwhile noting the existence of an affinity between the various languages of the word, a fact
which we can understand when we examine the root or origin of some of the words. Without
entering into philological or other controversies, it can be stated that in the distant past one
culture and one civilisation prevailed throughout the world. While that old culture decayed and
disappeared, or gave birth to a new culture and a new civilisation in some parts of the world, they
continued to exist and flourish in other parts of the world. That culture and civilisation go by the
name of Sanatana Dharma. There is evidence to show that the Mitra cult, Maitra-Varuna referred
to in the Vedas, prevailed in certain parts of Europe before the advent of Christianity. In some
Far Eastern countries, though the rulers are Muslim, Observances prescribed in the Hindu Sastras
for coronation are followed when a ruler is put on the throne. Counting from the month of March
or Chaitra, the first month according to Hindus, it will be seen that September is the seventh
month, October the eighth month, November the ninth month, and December the tenth month.
For days of the week, the names of planets used in India are adopted in other parts of the world
also.
This is a small disgression. Now coming back to the subject, it should be realised that the
expression tat occurring in the Vedas refers to Isvara. The Vedantic tatvam is the realisation of
the swaroopa of Iswara, or the Ultimate Reality. The plain meaning of tatvam is truth or reality.
The secrete of understanding this reality is contained in the world tat-tvam, the realisation of tat
or That as tvam or yourself. The jnana-mudra, or the sign of the hand with the tips of the right
thumb and the index finger meeting, is an indication that Tat which appears to be distant is
within oneself. When we look at the horizon, we get a feeling that at a distant point, the earth and
the sky are meeting. Suppose we decide to proceed to that meeting point. As we go on walking,
the supposed meeting point goes on receding further and further and ultimately we will find
ourselves back at the point from where we started. In other words, the point from which we
originally looked at the distant meeting point on the horizon is also the point where the earth and
the sky meet.
There is an interesting story of a young woman who decided to marry only the greatest person on
earth, though her parents had selected a bridegroom for her. She fixed the king as per object and
when she approached him for requesting him to take her as his wife, she thought that a Sanyasi
to whom the kind paid homage must be greater than the king. Thereupon she left off the king and
when after the Sanyasi. So the story goes on and ultimately she came to the starting point and
married a common man, who turned out to be none other than the person whom her parents had
selected.
While Tat is a Ultimate Reality, the Upanishads proclaim that idam, or that which is in our
proximity, cannot exist without a root or origin - Nedam amoolam bhavishyati. A tree sprouts
from the earth, is sustained by the earth, and is finally absorbed by the earth when it decays. All
the things we perceive with the aid of our five senses are connoted by idam. The perceiver within
us is the origin of the things perceived. As the same electricity shines in different colours and
with varying brilliance according to the colour, size and powers of the bulbs, so too the same
Isvara is within all of us and looks through the window of our mind at all things without, which
are rooted in Him. The origin of diam is jnana and that janan, though apparently confined to the
mind of individuals, is full and all-pervasive. The root of all things with life, whether stationary
or moving , is in that all-pervasive janana, which is the Tat of the Vedanta. That is what the
following verse in the Gita also tells us :
Avibhaktam cha bhooteshu

Vibhaktamivacha stthitam; Bhoota-bhartru cha tat jneyam
Grasishnu prabhavishnu cha
The Tat or That which is the Ultimate Reality achieved through jnana, must be understoo9d as
the Protector, Destroyer or Consumer, and the Creator of all bhootas (elements like air, water and
fire, and all beings, moving and stationary), who appears divided between these elements and
beings, though He is invisible. This Tat is seen at the end of the Vedas, and we realise that all-
pervading Truth or God by contemplating on a seeming part of that Truth. This is known as
Isvara dhyaanam or devotion for or contemplation of a particular manifestation of God and is a
process of learning to be ready to receive with both hands the fruit of janana and Bhakti when the
time is ripe for the fruit to fall, namely, the Divine grace to descend.
MENTAL DISCIPLINE
In the Gita, emphasis is again and again laid on developing that mental equipoise which is not
disturbed either by adversity or by prosperity. This state can be achieved only by completely
surrendering ourselves to God. Bhagavan makes this clear by directions like Yuktha Aaseeta Mat
Para, Maamekam Saranam Vraja, and Vasudevassarvamiti. An Ayuktha, i.e., one who cannot
view everything with equal unconcern and consequently whose mind is easily assailed by desires
and passions and who is unable to do his duty in the spirit of dedication, neither profits from
knowledge nor acquires a spirit of devoted surrender (Bhaavana). Without Bhaavana he cannot
find peace (Saanti) and without Peace, he does not attain absolute happiness (Sukam). It is this
teaching of the Gita that inspired Saint Thyagaraja to sing Saanthamu lekha Saukhyamu ledhu. If
the mind runs after worldly pleasures, all efforts to find real happiness will go in vain like ghee
poured in a leaky vessel. It follows that Yoga in the Gita sense is necessary both for acquiring
Paroksha Jnana, knowledge of the Ultimate Reality, and Aparoksha Jnana, Realisation of that
Reality.
It is to be noted that the Samatva or equal feeling in the context of Yoga does not denote
universal equality, but only the capacity to treat good and bad results with the same feeling. The
stress is on the performance of one's allotted duty. That duty should be performed well, without
thought of reward and with devotion in the heart. While performing it, the act should be
dedicated to God. This is not possible without the control of sense-organs. The Indriyas should
be withdrawn from the objects which attract them. If they run away unbridle, the mind will also
run away along with them. Such a wavering mind cannot contemplate the Atman within, by
which process alone the ultimate Truth can be realised. When the mind is tossed by Indriyas,
Prajna will go out of proper cores like a ship tossed by high winds in the ocean. The distinction
made in the Gita between mind and Prajna is to be noted. In Sanskrit, the mind is known by
different terms according to its functions, like thinking, deciding, contemplating, etc. The mind
with the experience of inward contemplation is Prajna. In the above simile, the mind takes the
place of the ocean, the ship is Prajna and the wind is the play of the senses.
Complete mastery of the senses is the foundation on which one has to raise the edifice of Stitha
Prajnatva. When the functioning of the Indriyas is turned inwards, they get merged with the
Atman within. The Atman is not affected thereby even as the ocean remains unaffected by the
waters of the numerous rivers flowing into it. A person whose mind is so evolved is a Jnani. He
is able to distinguish the real from the unreal and achieve the bliss that flows from the realisation
of the all-pervasiveness of the Paramatma and the identification of the Atma with the
Paramatma. What the worldly minded person imagines as real will be unreal for such a Jnani. So,
Bhagavan wants Arjuna to do his duty, not with the object of gaining a Kingdom, but the object
of acquiring the mental discipline which will enable him to attain the state of inaction, namely,
Brahmanirvaana or the merger of the Atma with Paramatma.
July 7, 1958.
MANY PATHS TO SAME GOAL
The dancing Nataraja and the reclining Rangaraja are but dual expressions of the one Supreme.
Different schools of philosophy have come into existence to satisfy the needs of varying human
temperaments, tastes and aspirations and any path, if consistently pursued, will lead to the same
goal.
In most of our temples, the principal deity is installed to face east, though in a few temples we
have the deity facing west also. In the latter case, the principal gopuram (tower) will be on the
eastern side. But in Chidambaram and Srirangam, the deities face south, as if proclaiming to the
devotees that they are there to protect them from the threat coming from the south, namely,
mortality, as the God of Death, Yama, hails from that direction. As Lords of the entire created
world, both are called "Raja", and each holds His court in a ranga (stage), the Lord of
Chidambaram dancing in joy with uplifted leg and the Lord of Srirangam stretching himself at
ease in the repose of yoga nidra. Dakshinamurthi, another aspect of Siva, is also found facing
south. Nataraja stands for aananda (bliss) in excelsis, which expresses itself in the dynamic
rhythm of ecstatic dance, His matted locks stretching out stiff as He whirls round with his
kunchita paada. Dakshinamurti personifies subdued aananda and He is depicted as being seated
in silent serenity in static pose, with one crossed leg resting on the other and his locks gliding on
his shoulders.
The Maheswara Sootras peal forth from Nataraja's dhakka, (Udukku), as He beats it to keep time
with His dance, and constitutes the basic alphabets of every tongue spoken in the world. The
same sounds or sabdas are recorded in the pages of the book which Dakshinamurti is holding in
His left hand. Aananda mudra is expressed by the right hand of Nataraja, while Chin mudra is
expressed by Dakshinamurti. We stand and gaze in wonder with eyes wide open at Nataraja's
dance, but we sit down to meditate with indrawn eyes in front of Dakshinamurti. To the former
we go for darsana, for feasting our eyes with the supreme majesty of that manifestation, to the
latter we go for japa or meditation, because He is the embodiment of the fullness of peace and
bliss that comes as a result of jnana. Ranganatha has adopted the nidra mudra - the sign of sleep.
All these three, the Aananda murti (Nataraja), the Dhyaanamurti (Dakshinamurti) and the
Yoganidraamurti (Ranganatha) face south to protect mankind from the fear of death.
The question that is likely to arise is "why should there be three deities? Is not one enough?" The
answer is given by Pushpadanta in his Sivamahimna Stotra.
Trayee saankhyam yogah pasupati-matam vaishnavamiti

Prabhinne Prasthaane param-idam adah patthyamiticha;
Rucheenaam vaichitryaat rjukutila naanaa pattha jushaam,
Nrnaam-eko gamyas-tvamasi payasaam arnava iva.
The variety of schools, namely, Vedas, Saankhya, Yoga, Paasupata, and Vaishnava came to be
formulated to satisfy the varying tastes of men. Though their directions may appear to point
differently, yet, as one pursues any school with the constantly ordained it, after a shorter or
longer journey, as the case may be, one will ultimately reach the Supreme, which is
Omnipresent, even as all rivers flowing in different directions reach the ocean, which appears at
land's end everywhere and envelops the globe in all directions. Like the ocean, the Supreme
envelops all - sarvam aavrtya tishthati.. To whatever school one may belong, one ought not to
linger or stop on the way. If a person adheres to the chosen path without faltering, God will
dower each votary, whatever his predilection, with constancy of faith to pursue his path with
devotion. All of you are familiar with the scene at a railway station, as soon as a train arrives and
the passengers emerge out of the platform. A passenger will be stormed by drivers of a variety of
conveyances, each trying to snatch his baggage in order to attract him to his vehicle. In
whichever conveyance he ultimately decides to travel, his destination is his home. Similarly the
protagonist of each school of religious thought try to attract the seeker after truth by saying that
their school is the easiest and surest way to realise the truth. When it is recognised that all paths
lead to the same goal, there is no necessity to change the path one is already following. There is
also no room for hatred towards a person following a different path. The temple, the God
installed therein, and the form of worship, all these three may differ for different people, due to
difference in taste. But what is required of one is to persist in the path one is following.
When the mind becomes ripe with the true knowledge of Paramatma, the soul gets liberated from
the bonds of birth and death. This liberation is called Moksha or Salvation. The Trayambaka
mantra epitomises the special kind of Moksha, which accrues by the grace of Trayambaka, the
three-eyed Siva. The Mantra conveys the meaning that one is released from mortality by the
grace of Siva in the same way as the cucumber fruit gets separated from its stalk, that is,
automatically separated without even the cucumber being aware of its liberation from the creeper
to which it has been all along lying attached. Every fruit, when fully ripe, is sweet, though it may
have been bitter or sour when unripe. Similarly, when the soul becomes ripe through devotion, it
is filled with the sweetness and joy that comes from Jnana. All fruits fall down from the branches
on top, at the roots below, signifying that the root is their source, sustenance and ultimate
sanctuary. The ripe soul, however, is the fruit of the tree of Samsaara, worldly bondage, whose
roots are on top, Oordhva moolam and whose branches grow down below (Atha shakham). So
the passage of the liberated soul is upward, Oordhva gati, and not downward or Adho gati.
Strictly speaking, there is no gati or going, for the soul. It is released at the very place where it
existed. That is why the example of cucumber fruit is given. This fruit does not fall down but
gets itself detached from the stalk, or rather, the stalk gets itself detached, even without the fruit
knowing it. Similarly the liberated one does not give up the world; the world gives him up.
Remembering that this life has been vouchsafed to us to get rid of future births and deaths, let us
pray to the God of our heart, to obtain His grace to qualify for this kind of liberation of the soul,
"cucumber mukti".
November 21, 1957.
Guru bhakti
Who is God and what is His definition? In almost every religion, God is referred to as the
Creator, the karta, responsible for the creation and sustenance of the Universe. Since every effect
must have a cause, namely God, for this Universe. This is brought out inthe Brahma- Sutra by
the expression karta Saatraartha tvat. Another defition of God is that He is the dispenser of the
fruits of our actions, be they good or evil--- Karmaphala-daata. The question may be asked why
we should have be Bhakti for the God who is the creator and dispenser. These are His self -
chioasen funtions and he does them. Why should we have devotion to one who created, not at
our request, and who dispenses, not according to our choice?
This question does not arise in the arise in the case of schools of thought which deny a God
altogether. Among the Vaidika systems, the Saankhya denies a creator -GOd and the Poorva
Meemamsa has no use for Him. It is a non-intelligent principle that is responsible for the world
according to the former, and the dispensation of fruits of actions is due , according to the latter,
to Adrshta, and a God is unnecessary for the purpos. Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada combated both
these positions and established that a Jada vastu cannot come from another JadaVastu, an
intelligent God alone must be the cause of the Universe. He also showed that a Chaitanya
(power) is necessary to dispense fruits of Karma according to the merit. In fact, Sri Sankara
directed his criticism mainly against the views of the Saankhyaas and Meemamsakaas
respectively and onlty incidentally against teh Buddhists, though he is depicted as having
Banished Buddhism from the country by the froce of dialectics. As a matter of fact, it was left to
two nea-contemporaries of the Sri Sankara, Kumarila Bhatta, the Meemamsaka, and
Udayanacharya, the Taartika, to undermine the foundations of Buddhism. Kumarila disproved
the no-Karma plank, and Udayana the no-Isvara plank of Buddhism.
Having established that there is a Creator,who is Srshtikarta and the Phala-daata,the question
remains why should we show Bhakti to Him? The Yoga sutras of Patanjali provide the answer.
After defining Yoga as a the control of mind's activity, the question of the way to control that
activity comes up for considertation and it is answered that this can be brought about by worship
of God, who free from any imperfection or blemish ,who remains unmoved and unmovable,who
is the Sttaanu(stable one),amidst the imperfect and instable things of the world.Being the all-
knowing Intelligence,God is not affected by anything which could distract the mind and prevent
its control.It is such an ideal that we should have before us, to train ourselves in mind-control,so
that the mind may be almost absolutely study like a flame in a place where there is no
brezee.Since concentrated meditation on a thing transforms one into the likeness of the thing
meditated upon,meditating on God,who being Omniscient is still unmoved and unaffected by
want or desire, makes on like God Himself.As one holds fast to steady pillar to prevent from
being tossed about,so too should one bind oneself through Bhakti to God,to steady one's mind.
The purpose of prayer is not petition for benifits.Such petitioning implies either that God does
not know what we want,which will militate against His Omniscience,or that He waits to be asked
and delights in praise,which will degrade Him to the leve of ordinary man.Why then do we pray?
Though Omniscient God is immanent in every creature and knows what is in the heart of every
person, yet, if what we wish to say in prayer remains unsaid, it afflicts our heart and so prayer
heals that afflicition. By prayer ,we do not seek to change what God ordains; in fact,we cannot
do so. We go to Him to remove our impurities. As Tiruvalluvar said, we attach ourselves to Him
who has no attachments to rid ourselves of our attachments. A devout consciousness that God
exists will itself do the miracle of alchemising us into purity of nature. We obtain a spiritual
charge into our frame by being in His presence.
Guru is Isvara in human form, but who is, however, freefrom the triple functions of creration,
preservation and destruction, which pertain only to Isvara. If we have absolute faith in him, the
Guru will dower us with all for which we go to God. In fact, God is needed only when we cannot
find a guru. Guru-Bhakti is even higher and more efficacious than Daiva-bhakti. Sri Vedanta
Desika has declared that he does not consider God higher than Guru.According to a verse, when
God is angry, the guru protects you; when the guru himself is angry, there is no protector in the
world. If we surrender ourselves absolutely without any reservation to the guru,he will save us
from all sorrow and show us the way to salvation. It is due to lack of guru-bhakti, that Isvara-
bhakti itself is waning in the hearts of men.
October 20, 1957
God is One
We Hindus regard both Siva and Vishnu as the same and this is evident from the fact that in the
ecstasy of our devotion, whether were are alone or are in groups, we exclaim " Haro-Hara" and
"Govinda-Govinda", which(whose) names come to our lips spontaneously. The holy days of
Sivaratri and Janmashtami are divided from each other by exactly 180 days, and this seems to
indicate that God in His aspect as Siva protects us during one-half of the year, and in His aspect
as Vishnu, in the other half. The traditional practice of boys and girls collecting oil for their vigil
on Sivaratri and Janmashtami nights, singing in chorus a song which means that Sivaratri and Sri
Jayanti are the same, is another pointer to the identity of these two manifestations of the Divine.
Apachaaranivrtti must precede Anugraha - eradication of sins must precede blessings. So God as
Hara destroy the sins of His devotees, while as Govinda, He protects them from harm. The
expressions Hara -Hara and Govinda-Govinda come to children effortlessly. It is significant that
Sri Sankara composed Bhaja Govindam when he was a child and Sri Sambandar sang that Hara
naama should envelop the world, when he too was a child. The Upanishads speak of God as
Uma-sameta-Parameswara, and it is worthy of note that all children refer to God as Ummachi,
which is obviously a contraction for Uma-Maheswara. Thus, in the language of children, there is
no difference between Siva and Vishnu.
The sense of religious toleration is not a modern conception. It can be traced to very ancient
times. The Kural proclaimed that all teachings referred only to one Porul or Object. Sri Sankara
and Sri Sambandar saw the same God worshipped in the six systems to which they referred.
Arhat, the name by which Jains call the Supreme Being, is a Vedic name identified with Siva.
Other religions also speak of one God.
All troubles in rthis world start only when attempts are made to wean away people from their
native religion to convert them to a new faith, by holding out the temptation that people can
attain salvation only if they embrace that new faith. This is more than what any sensible person
can swallow. Since every religion speaks of God, to ask a person to give up the religion in which
he is born is tantamount to asking him to give up God and is a sin against God. It is the duty of
every person to follow the religion of his ancestors. If a non-Hindu finds that he had Hindu
ancestors, its up to him to revert to Hinduism after performing the prescribed
Praayaschitta(purificatory ceremony).
While there is propaganda for other religions, there is none for the Hindu religion. Propaganda is
a prescribed duty for other religions, while in respect of Hinduism, it is enjoined that one should
not tell unasked-Ma Aprshtah Kasyachit Brooyat. It is noteworthy that so may continue to
profess Hindu religion even without preaching and propaganda. The cause of the stability of
Hindu religion is that each practised his prescribed Dharma. If each person does his appointed
duty, then our religion will be strengthened both in its Vedic foundations and in its ceremonial
practices. It is only that way the Vedic religion has survived down the ages.
October 22, 1957.
DETACHMENT
Each one of us is fond of certain things in life, and the liking develops into raaga, attachment or
affection. When the things or persons we like part from them at the end of life's journey, we are
afflicted with grief. Death forcibly separates us from the objects of our attachment, resulting only
in grief. Death forcibly separates us from the objects of our attachment, resulting only in grief all
round. When we forcibly pluck an unripe mango, there is weeping(flow of a white juice) both
from the stem to which the mango had all along been attached, and also from the mango itself.
When the same mango is ripe, it gets automatically separated from the stem and no weeping
occurs. Similarly we must develop the capacity to leave this world without regret when death
knocks at our doors.
How this is to be achieved is the problem of life. I shall illustrate the answer to this question with
a story. Once upon a time a wealthy person was living in the French territory of India. For some
reason, he apprehended danger both to his person and to his wealth, were he to continue to live in
the French territory. Only a hill separated the French territory from the British territory. If he
could manage to transport his wealth, which was in the shape of heavy gold and silver coins, to
the top of the hill, safety and security awaited him. But he found that the task of transporting all
the silver and gold coins was an impossible one, in the circumstances in which he was placed. He
was faced with the situation of leaving behind his immense wealth and escaping only with his
life. At that critical moment, a person with British currency notes accosted him and offered to
exchange those noted for the gold and silver coins. The wealthy man converted his entire stock
of coins into portable currency notes and crossed over to safety. Similarly, we should be able to
convert all our worldly achievements and resources into the currency Dharma, so that we can
carry with us this Dharma, when the call comes to quit this world.
Dharma is acquired through mind, speech and deeds. As both Paapa(sin) and Punya(merit)
accompany us after death, we must take care to acquire only Punya. If we nourish in our mind
passions like Kaama(desire) and Krodha(anger), we will be acquiring only more and more sins.
If we use our speech or power of expression to kindle either Kaama(passion) and
Dvesha(hatred), we will be doing harm to others and thereby hindering our own emancipation.
The gift of speech should be employed only for doing good to others and repeating the Lord's
name. Similarly our physical strength should be utilised for serving others. Our wealth, barring a
portion we are obliged to leave to our children, should be utilised for noble and charitable
purposes. In this way, we can convert our material resources and the power of our mind, speech,
and body, into Dharma, the currency note of Isvara, which is legal tender in all the worlds under
His command, and for all times. Dharma alone protects us in this life and accompanies the soul
in its onward march, after it casts off its covering we call body.
The process of developing detachment from objects of affection- changing over from raaga to
vairaagya - should start when we are still in the full enjoyment of our senses. When a dispute is
compromised, not by the judgement of a court, but by agreement, the parties to the dispute part
as friends. Similarly, we must mentally become ripe, as the mango I mentioned earlier, and get
ourselves detached from our attachments. For that purpose we require the grace of Isvara. Sri
Sankara Bhagavatpada, in his Sivananda Lahari prayed to Isvara to save him with His grace or
mercy(krpayaa paalaya vibho) without minding his disqualifications. Let each of us pray to
Isvara to bless us with His grace, for that alone will accompany the soul and be a source of
constant strength.
January 19, 1958
Concept of Maya
In the Mangala Sloka(invocation) to this Beeja Ganita(algebra), Bhaskaracharya says that

supreme which is Infinite, does not suffer diminution when creating the world out of Himself, or
gain addition when the created word attains Laya(merger) in Him. For, if the addition of even a
fraction can make a difference to the infinite, then it could not have been infinite before such
addition. Similarly infinite cannot become less than the infinite when any thing is taken away
from it. The Infinite is poorna, full and limitless Supreme. The Prapancha (Universe) which is
infinitely varied, is also limitless Supreme, the limitless Supreme will remain intact. Therefore, if
this Poornam ( the infinitely varied form of the objective Prapancha) is taken away from that
Poornam (the subject which is Infinite), that Poornam, the subject Infinite, alone will remain.
This may be illustrated mathematically as follows : if 2 is divided by 2, the quotient is 1. With 2

as the dividend, if the divisor is progressively reduced as 1, 1/2, or 1/4 etc., the quotient will
respectively be 2, or 4, or 8,etc., Thus the divisor becomes less and less, the quotient will become
more and more. When the divisor is the least, that is infinitesimal, approximating to Zero, the
quotient will be infinity. This is known as the Khaharam - Kha standing for Aakas, signifying
poojyam (zero), haaram, meaning taking away or dividing.
How do we verify the correctness of an arithmetical question in division? We multiply the

quotient with the divisor and check whether the resulting is equivalent to the dividend given in
the question. In this Khaharam, or division. In this Khaharam, or division of any number by zero,
the number that is divided stands for the Prapancha 9the pluralistic universe of infinite variety),
the divisor, zero or Poojyam, which in mathematical language is an indefinable factor,
approximating to nothingness, stands for Maya, and the quotient is the Infinite, that is Brahman.
For the purpose of creating the Prapancha, which is dividend, Brahman , which is the quotient ,
multiplies itself by Maya, which is divisor. Even as I divided by Zero, or 2 divided by Zero, or 3
divided by Zero, will give the same quotient, when the Infinite is multiplied by Zer, it is
undeterminate, and therefore, it can take the values 1,2,3 etc., which are Bheda sankhyas, or
numbers connoting differences, standing for the plurality of the world. The Upanishad says that
the One Absolute determined to become many, and for that purpose. It associated itself with
Maya, and become Many. When this Absolute Infinite multiplied Itself in association with Maya,
which is tantamount to zero, it appears as 1,2,3,4 etc., the several objects of this Prapancha. But
when any number is multiplied by Maya. The dividend, which is the plurality of the prapancha is
the Infinite variety. The quotient, which is Brahman, is Real Akhanda and Ananta. In the Saanti
Mantra, Poornam adah is the quotient , Absolute Infinity, and Poornam idam is the dividend,
pluralistic Infinity. Advaita anantam multiplied by Poojyam is Dvaita anantam. if the latter is
divested of is Maya -- by a process of Khaharam-dividing by Poojyam which is Maya -- we get
the Advaita anantam. Maya multiplies the formless Infinite which is One only without a second ,
into an infinity of finite forms. Th One alone , that is real, has value; the Many, which are
products of Maya, are like Maya, without ultimate value. So Brahman is not affected either by
diminution from It (creation or Srsti) or by the addition to It(merger or Laya) of Prapancha,
which has no ultimate value.
The Divine Mother is the Creative Principle of the universe, the Maya Sakti aspect of Brahman,
which makes the Infinite One appear as the Infinite Many. She presents the formless Supreme in
finite forms. It is only by her grace that one can transcend the Maya and obtain the advaitic
realisation of the One without a second.
December 26 1956.
CHAATURMASYAM OF SANYASINS
Every aasrama has its special dharma or duty. It has been enjoined that a sanyasi should not
remain in one place for any length of lime. He has to be a parivraajaka or wandering mendicant.
The idea is that he should be moving from place to place, coming into contact with his lay
disciples, ministering to their spiritual needs, and guiding them to regulate their lives according
to the sastras. This may be likened to "mass contact", a term familiar in politics. If a sanyasi
remains in one place for a long time, there is the danger of his contracting "attachments", or
getting involved in local controversies. There is also the adage, "familiarity breeds contempt",
and, perhaps, that is one of the reasons why a sanyasi is prohibited from staying long at any one.
This constant movement from place to place may prevent a sanyasi from devoting sufficient time
to meditation and other spiritual practices, and to the acquisition of aatmajnanam leading to the
realisation of the Ultimate Truth. Therefore, he is permitted to remain in one place during the
chaatur maasya period, commencing from the full moon in the month of Aani. This period also
coincides with the rainy season, known as praavrt season.
There is a reason behind the selection of this praavrt period for chaatur maasya. The sanyaasa
aasrama is essentially one of ahimsa — causing no harm to any living being. That is why a
sanyasi has to travel on foot. Even if one were to tread unwittingly on an insect while walking,
there is every chance of one not causing its death, because the feet are so shaped that the insect
can easily wriggle out through the gaps and curves. During the rainy season, numerous insects
spring to life and infest pathways. Any travel, during this period, will inevitably lead to himsa,
causing pain or injury, to these insects. In fact, while making the sankalpa for chaatur maasya, a
sanyasi has to tell the assembled devotees that the praavrt period is on, that he sees a host of
insect life (praani sankulam) everywhere, and that if it is not inconvenient for them, he proposes
to observe chaaturmaasyam in that place. The devotees, who feel honoured by the opportunity
for this kainkarya (service), in their turn, request him to remain in their midst comfortably, and
assure him that they will serve him to the best of their ability.
Making the chaaturmaasya sankalpa, the sanyasi says:
Praayena pravrishi praani

sankulam varlma drsyate
Atasleshaam ahimsaarttham
pakshaavai srutichoditaan
Stthaasyaamaschaluromaasa
an airaivaasati baadhake.
On hearing this the devotees reply :
Nivasantu sukhenaatra gamishyaamah krtaartthataam

Yathaa sakti cha susrooshaam karishyaamo vayam mudaa.
It is to enable sanyasins to adhere to the principle of ahimsa that they are prohibited from
cooking their own food. In the process of cooking, insects that may happen to be in water,
firewood, vegetables, etc., will be destroyed besides the germinating part of the grain. Therefore
sanyasins are enjoined to rest content with what householders give them as alms. They are also
not permitted to pluck green leaves. That will be himsa to the plant, which has also life. In fact,
there is no agni, (fire), for the sanyaasa aasrama. That is why they do not perform any homa
(sacrifice in fire).
The chaaturmaasya observance is a common feature of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. The
Ashokan edicts, which are about 2,000 years old, show that chaaturmaasya was observed for four
months, as the term indicated. It is not clear when the period came to be reduced to two months.
Probably the rule that a maasa (month) is synonymous with paksha (fortnight)- pakshovai
maasah, - came to be applied, and chaaturmaasya limited to four pakshaas or two months. This
year, chaaturmaasya will last three months, on account of the occurrence of the Adhika Sraavana
month. (The difference in the number of days that go to make a solar year and a lunar year get
periodically adjusted by having an additional lunar month whenever two new moons happen to
fall in a solar month.)
There is a reference to chaaturmaasya in Srimad Bhagavatam also. It is recorded that when Sage
Narada was asked how he became a great jnani, he replied that in his boyhood a number of
sanyasins happened to observe chaaturmaasya at the place where he lived with his mother, and
that jnana dawned on him, as a result of eating the remnants of the food partaken by those great
men.
A sanyasi takes the resolve to observe chaaturmaasya after performing Vyasa Pooja. This pooja
is as important to sanyasins as Upaakarma is to those who belong to the other aasramas. As
custodians of the Vedas, it is our duty to preserve them in their pristine purity and effectiveness.
The danda (stick), carried by a brahmachari, is symbolic of his determination to protect the
Vedas at any cost. The object of Upaakarma is to revitalise the Vedic mantraas, should their
efficacy be impaired, through causes like faulty pronunciation. The Vedas are recited on that
day, after invoking the grace of Sri Veda Vyasa, who perceived, through his spiritual powers, the
Vedas and transmitted them for the benefit of the world, and invoking the grace of the rishis,
who propagated the various khaandaas of the Vedas. The presence of Sri Veda Vyasa is invoked
in a pot of water and worshipped. The Sama Vedins invoke the presence of Khaanda Rishis in
balls of earth, or in arecanuts and worship them. Similarly the sanyasins invoke the grace of Sri
Veda Vyasa and other preceptors of aatma jnaana, before commencing their discipline of
meditation, yoga, and aatmavichaara. The aavahana of the preceptors is done in lime fruits.
Householders perform both pooja and homa in Upaakarma, whereas sanyasins perform only
pooja on Vyasa Pooja day, as they have no right to do homa.
It is not Veda Vyasa alone who is worshipped on Vyasa Pooja day. Six groups of preceptors
(moola purushas) of jnana, each group consisting of five preceptors are worshipped. The first
group is called Krishna Panchaka and consists of Sri Krishna, Vaasudeva, Pradyumna, Anirudha
and Sankarshana. The five groups, besides the Sri Krishnapanchaka mentioned above, are: (1)
The Vyasa Panchaka, consisting of Sri Vyasa, Sri Paila, Sri Vaisampayana, Sri Jaimini, and Sri
Sumantu; (2) The Bhagavatpada Panchaka, consisting of Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada, Sri
Padmapaadaacharya, Sri Sureswaraachaarya, Sri Hastaamalakaacharya, and Sri Totakaachaarya;
(3) The Sanaka Panchaka, consisting of Sri Sanaka, Sri Sanandana, Sri Sanaatana, Sri Sanat
Kumara, and Sri Sanatsujaata; (4) The Dravida Panchaka, consisting of Sri Dravidaacharya, Sri
Gaudaapadaacharya, Sri Govinda Bhagavatpaadaacharya, Sri Sankshepakaacharya, and Sri
Vivaranaacharya; and (5) The Guru Panchaka, consisting of the Guru, the Parama Guru, the
Parameshti Guru, and the Paraapara Guru of the sanyasins, and other promulgators of the
sampradaya (anye brahmavidyaa sampradaaya kartaarah guravah). Worship is also offered to Sri
Suka, Sri Narada, Sri Durga, Sri Ganapati, the Kshetrapaalaas, Sri Saraswati, and the ten
guardians of the directions, beginning with Indra. Finally pooja is offered 10 Suddha Chaitanya,
whose aavaahana is made in the Saaligramah and omnibus worship (samashti pooja) is
performed at the end.
The seniority of a sanyasi is determined, not by his age, but by the number of Vyasa Poojas he
has performed. It may happen that a young sanyasi has performed more Vyasa Poojas than an
aged one. In that case, the aged sanyasi will have to do obeisance to the young one. This practice
is similar to the practice among householders of a person prostrating before a lady younger than
himself should the husband of that lady be senior to him.
What is known as Vyasa Poornima in the South is known as Guru Poornima in the North. On
that day, every person makes it a point to make offerings to all those who occupy the position of
teacher to him. This custom is followed in the R.S.S. organisation. Its members pay no
subscription, but make a cash offering on the Guru Poornima day. For the Smartha sanyasins, the
chaaturmaasya begins with Vyasa Pooja and ends with Viswaroopa Yatra. The Vaishnavas
commence chaaturmaasya with sankalpam and end with utthaanam.
Sri Krishna is called the lord of cows. Sri Krishna being the central figure in Vyasa Pooja, 1
desire to give you the message of gosamrakshanam (cow protection). It is an irony that in the
land where the cow is worshipped, cows are found in an emaciated condition. In lands where
cow-slaughter is not regarded as a sin, the cattle yield more milk per head, and are better looked
after. In India, the peasant is perpetually indebted and his cattle are mere skin and bones. In the
past, this neglect was trotted out as an excuse for not bringing in legislation to prevent cow
slaughter. The Government, as well as the public, owe a duty to attend to the cattle the wealth of
a country. In the ancient days the village had a common pasture called meichal tarai. These
pasture lands have got assigned to private individuals. The Government should take steps to
acquire these pasture lands for the benefit of the cattle. They should also include the maintenance
of common village tanks, known as mantaikarai kulam under their minor irrigation works. So far
as the public is concerned, each house should keep a vessel or a bucket for collecting the water
with which rice is washed for cooking, as well as kanji and kitchen garbage, like discarded
portions of vegetables, skins of fruits, plantain leaves, etc. Arrangements should be made to feed
cows with this collection. If every house-holder takes care of one cow in this manner, the cattle
wealth of the country will improve in no time.
Importance of Bhakti
Advaita, Visishtadvaita, and Dvaita are one in the emphasis on Bhakti to obtain God's grace. The
fact that man alone, among the creatures of the world, grows vertically, where as the other
creatures grow horizontally, indicates that he should also strive to grow taller in spiritual stature.
Such an eminence in stature comes from Jnana which alone gives abiding peace or saanti. Man
undergoes troubles and pains in a greater measure than other animals; but that is compensated for
by this capacity to acquire Jnana, which makes for the realisation of Truth and the experiencing
of Aananda or Supreme Saanti. Jnana itself begets Aananda and Jnanaananda is Parama
mangalam. Isvara is of the nature of this Jnanaananda. He is the Paramataman in whom all
auspicious qualities are fully affirmed in a superlative measure. Even as the ocean is the
repository of all waters, Isvara is fullness, the All. There is no other to him. He is the All with out
a second. That is Advaita. Idam Sarvam Purusha Eva, all this is the Paramatman, says the Sruti.
Sri Sankara expounds this truth with Yukti(logic) and Anubhava(experience).
But mere intellectual comprohension of it is not enough. It must be realised as a fact in one's own
experience. For such realisation grace of God is a pre-requisite. Isvaraanugrahaadeva Pumsaam
Advaita Vaasana. We begin with a feeling of distinctness from God. The predicament of worship
is one of duality of Deity and Devotee. But even then the devotee does not feel that God is
external to him and to the Universe; He has the consciousness that God is imminent in himself
and in every particle of the world, in-dwelling every where and in everything, how ever minute.
Our duty is worship Him in this way with devotion, and if we do so, He reveals His true nature to
us. Bhagavan says :
BHAKTYAA MAM ABHIJANAATI YAAVAAN YASCHAAMI TATVATAH
The word, BHAKTYAA, meaning through devotion, shows that bhakthi is the means for the
realisation of the truth of God's nature. Advaita, Visishtadvaita, and Dvaita are one in this
emphasis on Bhakti to obtain God's grace. To whatever school we belong, we should invoke that
grace through Bhakti, leaving it to Him to reavel the truth of His nature. All Achaaryas have
stressed this need for Bhakti.
This devotion must evidence itself in fulfilling God's commands in observing the duties laid on
us in the Vedaas. To say 'I have devotion to God', and not to act upto His commands is
meaningless. Performance of prescribed duties, Vihitikara-maanushtaana, is the sign of true
devotion. Doing one's Karma, one should dedicate it to God. Obligatory duties are Nitya and
Naimittika. Vaishnavites significantly refer to them as Aajna Kainkarya. Such performance of
Karmas as detailed in the Vedaas is true Isvara Aaradhana. They not only bring about personal
merit, but also secure the welfare of the whole world. Thus Karma, Bhakti, and Jnana do
constitute the scheme of salvation.
October 16, 1957.
ADVAITA VEDANTA
The school of thought or sidhaanta expounded by Sri Adi Sankara, is known as Advaita. Greater
thinkers who lived before the time of Acharya have also dealt with it. Wise men who came after
Shri Acharya have also written profusely about Advaita pouring into their writings their own
experience (Swaanubhava), of the Advaitic truth. There are such works not only in English, but
also in Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Marathi and Hindi. Some of them are original works of Advaita.
Persons belonging to other schools of Hindu religious thought and persons professing other
religions have also written on Advaita, out of the abundance of their rich spiritual experience.
Some of the names that come to mind are Tattvaraya Swami, A Madhava, Mastan Saheb, a
Muslim and Vedanayagam Pillai, a Christian. In recent times we have the example of the late
A.V. Gopalacharya, who has written a number of treatises and essays on Advaita.
It is worthy of note that whatever their mutual differences may be, all thinkers belonging to
schools other than Advaita, are one in their attack on Sri Adi Sankara's views. This should be
regarded as a tribute paid by them to Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada. Each of them singled out
Advaita, as expounded by Sri Acharya, as the only system worthy of taking notice of for the
purpose of criticising. According to Advaita, the ultimate bliss is the experience of non-
difference between the Jivatma and the Paramatma. Acharyas of other schools of thought would
wish to have at least a tract of distinction between the two so that the Jivatma, standing apart,
may be able to enjoy the realisation of the Paramatma. Thus the difference between the several
systems of Hindu religious thought is slight, as all are agreed upon the ultimate realisation of the
Supreme. But when it comes to a question of expounding each system, this difference got
magnified to the point of violent opposition. And yet we find that in their ultimate reaches, all of
them speak the language of Advaita. This shows that the expansive heart of Sri Adi Sankara
accommodated all views of the ultimate reality and all approaches to it. Though other systems
quarrel with Advaita, Advaita has no quarrel with any.
The catholicity of Advaita is also evident from the fact that pronounced Advaitins like
Vachaspati Misra, who lived about one thousand years ago, Vidyaranya and Appayya Dikshitar
wrote encyclopedic works on other systems with the fidelity of exposition rarely equaled and
much less excelled by the protagonists of those systems themselves. Appayya Dikshitar says that
as God's grace is required to reach the Ultimate Reality, and as that grace can be obtained only
through Bhakti, he was expounding the other systems which promoted this Isvara-bhakti.
According to Shri Adi Sankara, no school of thought is foreign to Advaita. In the scheme of the
path to realise Adviataanubhava, every system contributes an essential step and so Shri Sankara
used the truths of each of them and pressed them into his service. By its very name, Advaita
negates duality and dissension and comprehends every warring sect and system into its all-
embracing unit. In fact, the survival of Hinduism is itself due to this Advaitic temper, which sees
no distinction between Saivam, Vaishnavam and other denominations. Shri Adi Sankara
underlined the essential unity of all Sampradaayas and sects and saved Hinduism from
disruption. All denominations have the common Vedic basis. By bringing to our minds all the
great Acharyas, we can acquire that peaceful frame of mind and develop that catholic temper and
universal accommodation characteristic of Shri Adi Sankara and of the Advaita Vedanta he
expounded, which will enable us to live in peace and amity, so essential for securing universal
welfare.
Adherence to the Sastras
According to our tradition, there are fourteen branches of knowledge which are common to both
general education and dharma. They are described as the sources of vidya and dharma. (Vedaah
sthaanaani vidyaanaam dharmasyacha chaturdasa - the fourteen (chaturdasa vidyaas are, the four
Vedas, the six Vedaangaas and the four Upaangaas. The six angaas (limbs) of the Vedas are:
siksha vyaakaranam, cchandas, niruktam, jyotisham and kalpam). The Tamil expression,
sadangu is derived from shadanga or six angaas. The four Upaangaas are: the puraanaas, which
illustrate Vedic truths through stories-projecting the truths as if through a magnifying lens-
nyaaya, meemaamsa and the smritis. The smritis deal with the Dharma Saastra portion of the
Vedas. Between the vedaangaas and the Upaangaas, almost all branches of knowledge are
covered. The jyotisha saastra, one of the Vedaangaas, covers the entire field of astronomy,
astrology and the technique of prediction. A detailed study of this saastra will prove that our
ancient Rishis had perfected what is now known as higher mathematics, long before the science
of mathematics, was developed in the West. The Tamil expression saangopaangamaha i.e., with
angaas and upaangaas, used to denote a work well done, is very significant. It coveys to us the
idea that a job has been done correctly and well, without forgetting even the minutest details.
From the travel records written by Fa Hian and Huen Tsang, from the various records available
in China and from archaeological excavations, we know the manner in which the ancient
universities of Taxila and Nalanda had been functioning. It is seen that though these universities
flourished in the heydays of Buddhism, all students were required to study first the chaturdasa
vidyaas which included the Vedas also. Studies pertaining to Buddhism, of course, followed. I
am mentioning this to show how these fourteen branches of knowledge have been regarded as
basic for any education worth its name and for dharma.
Besides these chaturdasa vidyaas, there are four other branches of knowledge, known as
upavedas, in the scheme of general education. Thus the number of branches of knowledge
included for study in the scheme of general education becomes eighteen. These upavedas are:
Ayurveda, science of medicine and surgery, which is stated to have originated from the Rig
Veda; Dhanurveda, including physical culture and military science, originating from the Atharva
Veda; Gandharva Veda, which is a term used for all fine arts, including music, dancing, painting,
and sculpture, originating from the Sama Veda; and Artha Sastra: the science of politics and
administration, having its origin in Yajur Veda.
Sri Harsha, in his Naishadha, has punned on the word, chaturdasa, when describing the education
of Nala. He says:
Adhiti bodha aacharana prachaaranaih
Dasaaschatasrah pranayan upaadhibhih
Chaturdasastvam kritavaan kutasvayam
Navedmi vidyaasu chaturdasasvayam
The poet says in this verse that Nala made the chaturdasa vidyas into chaturdasa. Dasa, in the
second chaturdasa, has to be given the meaning, "stage". The verse says that Nala's education in
all the fourteen branches of knowledge was in four stages, namely adhiti (study), bodhah -
(understanding), aachaarana- (adoption or practical use), and praacharana- (propagation).
Pracharana, in this context, does not mean propaganda, as that word is ordinarily understood. It
means, giving knowledge to person or persons tested and found fit to receive instruction.
Propaganda is pressed into service mostly when the result aimed at is reaching a large number,
for statistical purposes. In proselytisation, for example, the emphasis is on the number of
converts, and not on the fact that conversion was secured only after those who were converted
had understood, believed, and accepted particular tenets preached to them. In this process the
truth of what we wish to propagate may be lost sight of. Our ancients were particular that truth
and right understanding should be preserved. So, they were against propaganda in respect of both
religion and knowledge. They believed that the seed of knowledge should germinate only in
proper soil, in order that the fruit that it will yield later may be good and not forbidden fruit.
Therefore, they laid down that the person receiving knowledge must be proved pakvi, fit to
receive it and benefit from it. This was specially necessary in the case of mantras, whose literal
meaning was "protects by repetition" mananaat traayate. As physical exercises strengthen the
muscles by constant practice, mantraas strengthen the internal nerves by constant repetition. In
the process, the mind is cleansed, so that the residence of God within us becomes pure. Mantraas
can be studied and repeated beneficially and preserved only by those who are found fit for such
study by their conduct and daily anushtaanaas.
When a person, by his study, observation and experience, comes to certain conclusions on
problems which he considers beneficial to all, it is desirable that he should either record those
conclusions in writing, or communicate them to those who are capable of appreciating the same,
so that the benefit of his opinion may not be lost to the world. It may be that some of his views
are not accepted immediately, or acted upon. But if it benefits even one kindred soul, it will be
enough. Bhavabhuti dealing with this points sasys:
Ye naama kechidiha nah prathayanti avajnaam

Jaananti te kimapi taan pratinaisha yatnah
Utpatsyatesti mama kopi samaana dharmaa
Kaalohyayam niravadhih vipulaa cha prithvee
The substance of this verse is: "Time is eternal and the world is wide. Some where or at some
time a kindred soul may be born who will appreciate what I have written, even though, for the
moment, some may deride it as useless".
I was reminded of this verse when I read Mr. Hilton Brown's article in The Hindu wherein he has
given the answer to the question, "why do I live in India". Here is a foreigner who is appreciative
of the Hindu dharmic ideals and practices and finds in this country a peace and satisfaction
which he could not obtain elsewhere.
We must realise the basic principles expounded by our saastraas and model our lives
accordingly. The only lasting thing is our endeavor for the elevation of soul. Realising this, let us
conduct ourselves in the proper manner.
Acquisition of Jnana
All of us should strive to acquire Jnana. It is only then that we shall be able to endure any kind of
suffering. No man can escape suffering in some form or other. Each of us has his or her share of
suffering. We may think that a wealthy person, or a highly placed in life, is free from cares and
anxieties, and, so thinking may covet that wealth or that status in the belief that we can thereby
get rid of our worries. But if you ask those persons, they will unburden to you their tale of woes.
In fact, every man thinks that his suffering is the greatest, even as he thinks that he is the most
handsome or the most wise. No person dares to express the latter two feelings openly; but each
person thinks that his sufferings are greater than the sufferings of others and likes to parade them
with a view to eliciting sympathy from others. In a sense, suffering seems to be our birth-right.
Suffering is the fruit of our actions in previous births. So when we came into the world in the
present birth, we came with the seeds of suffering deeply implanted into our being. There is no
escaping from suffering.
But it is in us to blunt the edge of suffering. An idiot or a lunatic, a Jada an Unmatta, does not
"suffer" as we do. He becomes impervious to suffering. But when this man is cured of his idiocy
or lunacy, as the case may be, and he is normal like us, he becomes aware of suffering and
begins to suffer as we do. Sleep is the soothing balm for all suffering. We are oblivious to
suffering in dreamless sleep or Sushupti. The consciousness of suffering in waking life is
negated in sleep. But we relapse into this consciousness when we wake up from sleep. The Jnani
"sleeps to suffering" even when he is awake. It is not that he does not suffer in body ; but it is
that he does not suffer in mind. A heavy log of wood is not easily lifted or shifted ; it requires a
number of hands to do so. If the same log is immersed in water, it becomes light and even a child
can move it without effort. Similarly, if we learn to immerse our load of suffering in the water of
Jnana, it will become extremely light and we can make light of our suffering.
What is this Jnana that can lighten our suffering? It is knowing a thing as it really is. That is the
quest of all scientists, namely, to arrive at the core of the truth of things. And we know that a
scientist, engrossed in his research, loses himself in his pursuit and is undisturbed by any
difficulty or distress. The pursuit of his research and the joy resulting from the knowledge he
thereby acquires, far out weigh his personal suffering, which becomes very nearly non-existent
to him.
We seek a Vaidya or a Mantravaadi to cure our ills. But whatever relief either can give will only
be temporary. The remedy they prescribe will not drive out suffering from our system root and
branch. The Jnani, however, is able to get our sufferings, because he develops a sense of
imperviousness to it. Time is a great healer. Thirty years hence, our present woes, viewed in
retrospect, will appear insignificant. We are also not afflicted by sufferings of people in a distant
place, as we are by the sufferings of people close to us. In the face of present and proximate
sufferings also we must develop such a detachment. When a person who has acquired such a
detachment is commiserated with for any loss or bereavement he has suffered, his reaction to the
offer of sympathy will be : " It is not anything of much consequence. It came of its own accord
and it went".
How much greater will be sense of equanimity in the face of suffering when absolute Jnana
dawns in the mind? To a Jnani there is no distinction such as friend or foe. He looks on all as the
Paramatma. He allows nothing to irritate him. He detaches himself from his environment. He is
not afflicted by sorrow or elated by joy. Such a sense of indifference and equanimity can come
only from the knowledge of the Ultimate Truth. This knowledge must be acquired gradually by
intense meditation or Tapas, as detailed in the Bhrigu Valli of the Taittiriya Upanishad. Asking
the question what is the purpose and purport of life (kim samsare saaram), Sri Sankara
Bhagavatpada answers, in his Prashnotharamaalika, that it is intense meditation on this question
itself (Bahavopi Vichintyamaanam Idam Eva).
The Jnana that ensues from such meditation alone will teach us to make light of our own
sufferings and also prompt us to go to help of others in distress, as a matter of duty. Engaging
oneself in the acts of public benevolence and devotion to God produce Chitta Suddhi, cleansing
of heart, so necessary for meditation and Jnana. Such service is not for show or fame; but for
chastening one's own mind. In fact, one ought not to expect gratitude for the service one renders.
The ingratitude of the other person is a test of one's purity of motive and constancy of service.
Rarely does the beneficiary feel benefited by the help rendered to him. By such service one does
not help the other man so much as one helps oneself to have Chitta Suddhi.
A true Jnani creates an atmosphere of detachment and holiness around him and draws
innumerable people towards him. Such great Jnanis have arisen in the world, from time to time,
no matter whatever religion they professed. All this prophets and saints proclaimed the same
Truth, each in his own way, and if they happened to come back to life now and meet together,
there will be perfect unity in their messages. It is the followers that have put into their mouths
more than what they said and wrangle with others, freezing the original teachings, mangled in
their hands into institutional forms, which foster narrowness and bigotry.
The test of a Jnani is whether all troubles and tribulations of life appear light to him. This attitude
of the Jnani is the sure solvent for all our ills. To that end we should all strive, doing good deeds
and entertaining devotion to God both of which will be futile unless oriented to that goal.
December 7, 1957.

Nature of True Bhakti

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Nature of True Bhakti

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ACHARYA’S CALL – VOLUME 1:

Taken from official website of Kamakoti Peetam. www.kamakoti.org

Nature of True Bhakti

Ankolam nija beeja-santatih ayaskaantopalam

Sadhvee naija vibhum lataa kshitiruham sindhuh sarid

Praapnoteeha yathaa tathaa pasupateh

Chetovrittir-upetya tishthati sadaa saa

February 8, 1958NEED TO WORSHIP DIVINE MOTHER

“Sarasvatyaa lakshmyaa vidhi-hari-sapatno viharate Rateh paativratyam sithilayati ramyena

January 31, 1958

One Supreme Being

Preservation of the Vedas

October 5, 1957SARADA NAVARATHRI

MESSAGE OF SOUNDARYA LAHARI

“Pradeepa jvaalaabhir-divasakara neeraajana vidhih Sudhaa sootes-chandraopala jala lavair-

“ Yenaadheetani saastraani bhagavat-sankaraahvayaat; Nissesha soori moordhaali maala

Study of the Puranas

Study of The Vedas

Geetee seeghree sirahkampee tatha likhita paatakah

SURRENDER TO DIVINE MOTHER

“Sampatkaraani sakalendriya-nandanaani Saamraajya-daana-vibhavaani saroruhaakshi

This sloka is from Sri Sankara Bhagvatoada’s Kanakadhaaraastava. As a Brahmachari Sri

Sarva dharmaan parityajya maamekam saranam vraja;

Manmanaa Bhava Madbhakto

February 28, 1958

The Age of Vedas

The Doctrine of Surrender

Dhanuh paushpam maurvee madhukara mayee pancha

Vasantah saamanto Malaya-marud-aayaodhana rathah;

Tatah-api-ekas sarvam himagiri-sute kaam-api krpaam

November 8, 1957The Sanctity of Sastras

Kaavyam karomi nahi chaarutaram karomi

Bhoopaala-mauli-mani-mandita paada peettha

Yatra yaTRA Raghunatha keertanam

Buddir-balam yaso dhairyam nirbhayatvam arogata,

Let us try to acquire these qualities by worshipping Sri Anjaneya.

Way to Eternal Bliss

Isvarah sarva bhootanaam hrid-dese Arjuna tishthati

Braamayam sarva bhootaani yantraaroodhaani maayayaa

Tameva saranam gaccha sarva-bhaavena Bhaarata

Tat prasaadaat paraam saantim sthaanam praapsyasi

Karalagna mrgah kareendra bhango

Ghana-saardoola vikhandanosta jantuh:

Giriso visadakritischa cheetah

Kuhare panchamukho-asti me kuto bheeh.

November 4, 1957Meditation on God

Naaraayanaaya nalinaayata lochanaaya

Naamaavaseshita mahaabali vaibhavaaya

Naanaa charaachara vidhaayaka janmadesa

Nabheeputaaya prushaaya namah parasmai

October 25, 1957

Vyasa and Vedic Religion

October 14, 1957MOTHER ANNAPOORNA

“Bikshaam dehi kripaavalambanakaree maataannapoornesvaree.

There is a temple dedicated to Sri Annapoorneswari at Cherukunnam in Kerala. Every devotee

Let us reverentially pray to Mother Annapoorna by reciting the immortal Annapoornaashtakam

May 16, 1958

DIVINE MOTHER AS KANAKA PARAMESWARI

DIVINE MOTHER - THE BESTOWER OF PROSPERITY

Sri Kanakadharastavam of Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada is a widely known composition. The

“Dadyaat dayaanupavano dravina-ambudhaaraam Asmin-akinchana vihanga sisau vishanne

“Ishtaavisishtamatayopi yayaa dayaardra- Drshtyaa trivishtapapadam sulabham labhante;

UMA – PARAMATMA SWAROOPA