Post by radha on Sept 8, 2018 2:06:49 GMT 5.5
OM Sri GURUPYO NAMAHA RESPECTFUL PRANAMS TO SRI KANCHI MAHA PERIVA
Acharya's Call"- invaluable speeches given by His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Mahaswamiji on proper guidance in the matter of prayer….
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 Shankara 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 Shastraas, 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 Vinaya is used to denote a disciple. The meaning of the word Vinaya is one who is to be equipped with Vinaya. Sri Padmapaada Acharya in a verse in praise of Sri Adi Shankara, 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 Shishya in Sanskrit, because he has to undergo training or Shiksha under a Guru. In the present day, the term Shiksha is applied either for training in music or for punishment. Probably the term Sikh must have been derived from Shikshaka or Guru. The religious head of the Sikhs is known as Guru. The followers being his Sishyas or those who had undergone Shiksha under him, the term Sikh probably came to be used to denote the followers.
Therefore, in the Shatpadee Stotra, Sri Adi Shankara 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 Shankara 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 Shankara 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.
"Acharya's Call"- invaluable speeches given by His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Mahaswamiji
February 25 1958
AMRITHA VAHINI
SRI KANCHI MAHA PERIVA THIRUVADIGAL CHARANAM
Acharya's Call"- invaluable speeches given by His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Mahaswamiji on proper guidance in the matter of prayer….
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 Shankara 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 Shastraas, 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 Vinaya is used to denote a disciple. The meaning of the word Vinaya is one who is to be equipped with Vinaya. Sri Padmapaada Acharya in a verse in praise of Sri Adi Shankara, 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 Shishya in Sanskrit, because he has to undergo training or Shiksha under a Guru. In the present day, the term Shiksha is applied either for training in music or for punishment. Probably the term Sikh must have been derived from Shikshaka or Guru. The religious head of the Sikhs is known as Guru. The followers being his Sishyas or those who had undergone Shiksha under him, the term Sikh probably came to be used to denote the followers.
Therefore, in the Shatpadee Stotra, Sri Adi Shankara 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 Shankara 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 Shankara 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.
"Acharya's Call"- invaluable speeches given by His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Mahaswamiji
February 25 1958
AMRITHA VAHINI
SRI KANCHI MAHA PERIVA THIRUVADIGAL CHARANAM