Vedadhara: December 2016

Saturday, December 31, 2016

Thiruppavai

Incomparable devotion is the phrase that comes to mind when one tries to pen down the essence of Thiruppavai. This shloka is a beautiful poem of 30 verses composed in Tamil by a girl Andal who was a great devotee of Lord Krishna. The poet is said to have composed this ode when she was 4 years old. Astonishing poetry and peerless devotion are the hallmarks of this perfumed garland of shlokas that form Thiruppavai. In Thiruppavai Andal gives a clarion call to everyone to chant the name of Sriman Narayana & sing his glories. She shows the sure path to Moksha.

Andal is one of the most loved & revered poet-saints in the Tamil culture who has gained a place in the pantheon of the 12 saints celebrated by the Vaishnavas (worshippers of Vishnu). Much as Radha Rani is celebrated in North India as a devotee of Govinda, Andal is the epitome of devotion to Giridhara in the South. Her Thiruppavai stands tall among all devotional compositions teaching us the tenets of bhakti.

Andal imagines herself as a 'Gopi' in Vrindavan & Lord Krishna as the supreme being when she composed this poem. The poem transcends the love & devotion of a bhakta towards the almighty. It extolls the virtues of Lord Krishna & other manifestations of the great God Vishnu. Andal, who is also known as Kodhai, guides us on how to pray to God & what should we ask of him. The thirty verses of the poem symbolise the 30 days of the mirghasisha month & it culminates in asking Kesava for eternal bliss & oneness.

The most famous verse of this poem is the 29th stanza, in which the poet states her plea. She calls out to Govinda the cowherd & tells him to accept her & her friends (and all his devotees). She says grant us the blessings so that eternally, for all the births that we take, we should serve you and be associated you. All other desires should be eradicated.

This plea is the universal plea of every bhakta to God. Andal reiterates her devotion asking for eternal association with the Lord.

Thiruppaavai is sung in lieu of Suprabhatam during the month of Marghazi (Mid Dec to Mid Jan) at Tirumala, Tirupati.

The poem is also popularly called 'Kodhai's Tamil' & it is has the unique distinction of being described as the seed of the Vedas. It is believed that just as an entire tree with its branches, leaves & fruits are hidden in the seed, so are the core tenets of the sacred Vedas hidden in the verses of the Thiruppavai.

As Yashodha-lal, Devaki-nandan, Giridhara, Govinda plays his flute, through the ages reverberates the melody of an ode to him sung by a little girl wanting to be his bride. It inspires devotion & love for God in us. Listen to the Thiruppavai of Kodhai.

Thiruppavai parts 1 to 17 rendered beautifully by Mangalam Krishnan are now available on Vedadhara Website -

https://www.vedadhara.com/archive-details.php?id=5803

Aditya Hridayam

Ādityahṛdayam (आदित्यहृदयम्,), is a very powerful shloka dedicated to Surya Deva, the Sun God. In Ramayana, in the Yuddha Kaand, Lord Rama was taught this shloka by the great sage Agastya just before his battle with Ravana. This shloka is believed to have helped Lord Rama vanquish Ravana & emerge victorious.

आदित्यहृदयं पुण्यं सर्वशत्रुविनाशनम्। जयावहं जपेन्नित्यम् अक्षय्यं परमं शिवम्
This sacred shloka Adityahrdayam destroys all enemies, brings you victory and eternal bliss.

Sage Agastya does the mantra upadesa to Lord Rama, who is fatigued having fought scores of asuras & faces Ravana for battle. The great sage imbibes the Maryadapurushottam Yoddha with the eternal secret of vanquishing one's enemies.

This shloka is also believed to bestow prosperity and longetivity to the individual who chants it everyday. It destroys sin, anxiety and anguish and empowers one to not lose heart in the face of life's harshest challenges.
Ravivar is auspicious to offer prayers to Surya Deva who is also known as Ravi. Let's learn & recite the Adityahrdayam stotram to alleviate our troubles and be blessed by the eternal God of light.

Adityahrdayam - Sunder Kidambi
https://vedadhara.com/archive-details.php?id=3332

Friday, December 23, 2016

Mahalakshmi Ashtakam

Goddess Mahalakshmi is also known as "Shri" and she embodies abundance of wealth, prosperity & auspiciousness. She is "Parameshi Jaganmatah", the goddess who is the supreme and universal mother of all creation.

There are eight manifestations of Goddess Mahalakshmi, they are:
1) Adi Lakshmi [The main goddess]
2) Dhanya Lakshmi [Goddess of Granary wealth]
3) Dhairya Lakshmi [Goddess of Wealth of courage]
4) Gaja Lakshmi [Goddess of Elephants, symbol of wealth]
5) Santana Lakshmi [Goddess of Wealth of progeny]
6) Vijaya Lakshmi [Goddess of Wealth of victory]
7) Vidya Lakshmi [Goddess of Wealth of knowledge]
8) Dhana Lakshmi [Goddess of Monetary wealth]

Worshipping Goddess Mahalakshmi bestows one with abundance of prosperity & happiness. Fridays are considered auspicious for Lakshmi Devi worship. Legend has it that Indra Deva, the king of the devas himself worshipped Goddess Mahalakshmi to regain his lost kingdom & riches. The Mahalakshmi Ashtakam is the prayer composed & recited by Indra deva to propitiate the Goddess. This stotram first finds mention in the Padmapurana.

Listen to the melodious voice of Anuradha Paudwal as she renders the Mahalaksmi Ashtakam. Do listen to it everyday.

Mahalakshmi Ashtakam - Anuradha Paudwal
https://www.vedadhara.com/archive-details.php?id=3589

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Mahishasura Mardini Stotram

Our culture & itihasa is rich with kavyas (poems), puranas & shlokas. Such a diverse inheritance of which katha vidya is the bedrock, venerates gods & goddesses equally & extolls them for their conquests over evil. Much as Lord Shiva is prayed to, Goddess Parvathi's pedestal adorns innumerable devotees' hearts & houses. Much as the great Lord Mahavishnu is worshipped in his various manifestations or avataras, Goddess Mahalakshmi graces & blesses legions of worshippers with plenty.

In the pantheon of the Hindu Goddesses, the goddess Durga occupies a popular & prominent spot. She is prayed to by people all over the Indian sub continent. She is worshipped as Durga in northen India & Nepal. Of course, no mention of Durga Maa is complete without reference to Durga Pooja in West Bengal. In Andhra Pradesh, she's Kanaka Durga and Chanda Bhavani, in Kashmir, she's Shaarika, for the people of Mysore, she's Chamundeshwari. In Maharashtra she's Tulja Bhavani the patron Goddess of Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

The Devi Mahatmyam talks about Goddess Durga vanquishing the evil Mahishasura. Devi Mahatmyam is also known as the Durgā Saptashatī (दुर्गासप्तशती) or Chaṇḍī Pāṭh (चण्डीपाठः). The text contains 700 verses arranged into 13 chapters.

The great Vedantist Adi Shankara authored another jewel, the Mahishasura Mardini Stotram which contains the core message of the Durga Saptasti. This shloka poetically describes Goddess Durga as 'Mahishasura Mardini', the slayer of Mahishasura & it enunciates her qualities as the great Goddess.

This powerful stotram is said to destroy negativity & bestow victory on people who chant it with devotion. Legend has it that Adi Shankaracharya preached to his disciples to chant this stotram for victory over calamities & also to mitigate their negative karma.

Listen to this mellifluous rendition of the Mahishasura Mardini stotram by Rajalakshmi Sanjay.

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Hanuman Gayatri

Manojavam, the one who is swift as mind is a name for our beloved Bajarang Bali, Lord Hanuman. Legend has it that Hanuman is one of the four people to have heard the Bhagwad Gita from Lord Krishna himself and seen his Vishwarupa (universal) form. Anjaneya is a chiranjeevi an immortal who is to remain alive throughtout Kali Yuga till the end of this age.

Lord Hanuman is also known as Anjaneya, Anjani Putra, Bajrangbali, Maruthi, Vayu Putra, and many other names. One of Lord Hanuman's manifestations is the panchamukhi Anjaneya who guided the great Saint Shri Raghavendra Swamy. Worship of the Vayu Putra is believed to ward off evil, help one overcome life's challenges & problems.

Lord Hanuman is usually prayed to overcome obstacles and problems in one’s life. People under the influence of the adverse effects of Shani Bhagwan are advised to pray to Maruti, the Atulita Baladhama, who is the repository of incomparable strength. Every single individual of all ages & walks of life is advised to pray to the Sankat Mochak Hanumanji to overcome any difficulties in their lives. Be it singles seeking a life partner or married couples negotiating domestic discord or wanting children, people battling illness or looking for jobs or work, praying to the mighty Ramdhoot & the foremost of Ramabhakta, Lord Anjaneya is the best solution & one that works! His benevolence is uncomparable.

The Hanuman Gayatri mantra is a very powerful mantra and reciting it with devotion bestows one with knowledge, wisdom & power. It's known as a 'karya siddhi' mantra which is a powerful success mantra. It helps alleviate fear, phobias, panic, nervousness, bad dreams, negative energies and emotional instability. The mantra is beneficial for travelers as it helps protect them from dangers & mishaps.

Listen, learn & meditate on Lord Hanuman by recitting the Hanuman Gayatri daily.

Hanuman Gayatri
https://www.vedadhara.com/archive-details.php?id=3773

Check out more bhajans & rare sholkas at vedadhara.com. Meanwhile, below is a quick compendium of a few hyms of the great Lord Hanuman that you can listen to.

Hanuman Chalisa - Pankaj Udhas
https://www.vedadhara.com/archive-details.php?id=3970

Hanuman Dhyana Mantra
https://www.vedadhara.com/archive-details.php?id=3975

Sankat Mochan Hanuman Ashtak
https://www.vedadhara.com/archive-details.php?id=3966

Hanuman Devotional Songs
https://www.vedadhara.com/archive-details.php?id=3791

Shree Hanuman Mantra-Suresh Wadkar
https://www.vedadhara.com/archive-details.php?id=3708

Hanuman Aarati
https://www.vedadhara.com/archive-details.php?id=3663