A book is born

It’s been a while once more… So, at first, wish one and all a very happy new year.. A wonderful year, that started with the Supermoon… The 2nd was Arudra Darshan, the day sacred to Nataraja, the Dancing Lord, Shiva… And today, 3rd Jan, 2018, is the Jayanti of Sri Ramana Maharshi. The star of Punarvasu, month of Margazhi, one day after the Arudra Darshana….

And on this sacred day, I am happy to share the news that a new book of mine has been offered at His shrine –  a translation of one of His works – Upadesha Saram …

Upadesha Saram is one of the finest treatises in Vedanta. Ramana Maharshi had first composed it in Tamil (title ‘Upadesha Undiyar’) sometime in 1920-s, and also composed the same treatise in Sanskrit, Telugu and Malayalam as well. In just thirty beautiful verses, the whole ocean of Vedanta philosophy is conveyed in all simplicity, directness and beauty. In 1928 CE, Kavaykantha Ganapathi Muni wrote a Sanskrit commentary on ‘Upadesha Saram’. This was published by Sri Ramanasramam in 1941. And in 1950-s a young Dandi Swami (monk), from North India, wrote a Hindi commentary, based on Muni’s Sanskrit Commentary. That young Sanyasi, Swami Swaroopananda Saraswati, now adorns the Holy Peetham of Dwarka as the Jagadguru Shankaracharya.

By great good fortune, I was blessed to translate the treatise and the two commentaries into English. This was serialized in the ‘Ramana Way’ magazine, of Ramana Maharshi Centre for Learning, Bengaluru. And now, the revised version has been compiled as a book, ‘Upadesha Saaram of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, with Bhashya and Translation.’ This book was offered today, on Ramana Jayanti day, at the altar of Ramana, at Sri Ramanasramam.

The cover pages:

Hope to publish this as an ebook as well, very soon….

Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya!

 

 

 

Advertisements

Ramanasramam – A video clip

Sharing a video clip that I took on my cell phone a few days ago – on the centenary puja of Swami Ramanananda, the previous President of Sri Ramanasramam. He was Sri Ramana’s nephew and dedicated his life to the cause of Ramanasramam and devotees. His name in his poorvashrama was TN Venkatraman. A picture of confidence and joy, he had great affection for me, as I for him. He passed away a few years ago and was interred in a samadhi by the side of his father’s (Swami Niranjananda) in Ramanasramam. This blog featured a four part series on his samadhi interment ( Click here for links )

The video clip here shows students of the Asrama Veda Pathashala chanting by the side of the samadhi of Swami Ramanananda. And then pans to show some peacocks… dance…

Listen to the chant of Veda…  Preserved in its purity in South India… Proper intonations, handed down thousands of years…

Experience the peace of the Ashrama.. Listen to the peacocks… See them dance… Enjoy the harmony of nature…

`

 

Mahakumbhabhishekam @ Ramanasramam – 2013

Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya!

Today, September 1, is Advent Day of Sri Ramana Maharshi. It was on this day in 1896 that young Venkatraman, carried by the flood of Arunachala’s grace, arrived at Arunachala / Thiruvannamalai, once and for all…

Let us travel to Arunachala, shall we….

Some pictures first from the Kumbhabhishekam function at Sri Ramanasramam, that was concluded on August 25th 2013… Pictures start with some scenes from the ‘Walk Around Siva” Giripradakshanam that one did on the previous day… And then moves on to the Homa and Kumbhabhishekam the next day.

And after the gallery below, check out some videos, three from this function… And one from over seventy years ago.

Jai Ho! Let us move on….

Click on the first picture and browse the gallery…

Yagya Shala – Day T minus 1

Giripradaskhinam

Monkeys enjoying shade

The Mountain Austere!

Mountain Bright!

Mountain Silence!

Mountain Retreat!

Mountain night

Sankalpa for the Holy Consecration!

The Homa

Devotees watching Homa

Ajya Dharaya Srotasa Samam

Kumbhabhishekam

Kumbhabhishekam – President Ramanasramam

Kumbhabhisekam – Anand

Nochur Anna

Kumbhabhishekam – Ramaneshwara

Arunachala – From Arunachaleshwara temple

*

The video clips now…

First one, a clip from the Homa done on 25th Morning.

*

Next…

After the pouring of sanctified waters on the kalasha on top of the towers (Gopuram), Abhishekam is performed at the Siva Linga in the Ramaneshvara shrine….. The Ramaneshvara Mahalingam..

A video clip of that…

*

And now…

The official video coverage of the function, released on youtube by Sri Ramanasramam… By His grace, yours truly too is seen for a brief few seconds, somewhere along the way…

*

This great good fortune of appearing in a Ramanasrama footage is a legacy from my grandfather, Dr Vaidyanathan. He is seen in the December 1948 Archival film of Ramanasramam, when the Asram was celebrating 69th Jayanthi (Birthday) of Bhagavan Ramana.

Here is that clip.

*

Om Vachadbhuve Namaha!

Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya!

Tiruvannamalai : Arunagiri

Yesterday, June 2, 2013, was the Thithi of Mahanirvana of Mother Azhagammal, the sage lady who was mother of Sri Ramana Maharshi.

She was absorbed in the radiance of the Self on May 19, 1922. Her absorption day has been celebrated as Maha  Puja day, every year.

Visitors to Ramanasramam would know that the samadhi shrines of Mother Azhagamma and Bhagavan Ramana are adjacent. The Mathrubhuteshwara Temple wall separates the two enclosures. So, when you go around Bhagavan’s samadhi, as you begin, on your left is the Mother’s shrine…

Yesterday, while Puja was going on, a surprising visitor came calling…

*

Yes, a peacock nonchalantly perched itself on the parapet next to Bhagavan’s shrine.

And it was looking directly at the Mother’s temple.

*

Here’s the position of the peacock. In its line of vision, if you bore a hole through the wall, you would land up directly into the sanctum sanctorum of Mathrubhutheswara Mahasannidhanam (Mother’s shrine).

Here’s another picture.

*

Peacocks are by nature very timid… You can see them in good numbers in Ramanasramam. But they keep away from humans. And certainly, they do not enter into crowds.

Yesterday was Maha Puja day. The hall was crowded with devotees. Worship was in progress. Completely unconcerned with the throng of people, the peacock was just focused on looking on at the mother’s temple. Lots of devotees went and took pictures. The peacock did not bother the least. Some offered some grains, which the peacock royally ignored. Sometimes he cleared his throat in a silent sigh.

Senior devotees of Bhagavan have said that during the early times of Bhagavan’s samadhi (1950-s), animals would freely come to the shrine of Bhagavan. Monkeys, peacocks, squirrels, cats, dogs…. Those times, crowds were rare. Nowadays, every day is crowded, and festival days especially so. For quite some time, one has not seen birds and animals come inside the hall…

But this bird came….  And he just remained there, in silence. As if he had brought Skanda Ramana, Murukan, to see the worship of the Lord (Siva) Who Came as (His) Mother, Mathrubhooteshwara (Taayumaanavar).

Signing off this post with one more picture.

*

Let us sing the lines of Arunagirinathar…

‘ ஏறுமயில் ஏறி விளையாடும் முகம் ஒன்று
ஈசனொடு ஞானமொழி பேசும் முகம் ஒன்று
கூறும் அடியார்கள் வினை தீர்க்கும் முகம் ஒன்று
குன்றுருவ வேல் வாங்கி நின்ற முகம் ஒன்று
மாறுபடு அசுரரை வென்ற முகம் ஒன்று
வள்ளியை மணம்புணர வந்த முகம் ஒன்று
ஆறுமுகமான பொருள் நீ அருள வேண்டும்
ஆதி அருணாசலம் அமர்ந்த பெருமானே ! ‘

A Birds Eye View

Happy Rama Navami!

Chalo, lets take a walk around Sri Ramanasramam!

 

Hello! Anybody there?

Thats the gate to Kurangu Thottam (Monkey Garden)… A kind of Kishkinda…

 

Ok…. The gate is locked… On Rama Navami days, the monkeys are offered a special feast here… I am not sure they will like any birds around…

These two fellows sitting near the well are guarding the area..

Let’s hop on to another wall…

 

This is nice….

Lets snoop around….

 

Love the feel of thatch under the feet…

This is the dining hall…. Human folks have a feast here…

Lets fly along….

Ah, the Old Hall…. The meditation hall…

 

Shall we take a peek across the roof?

A hop, skip and jump…

Whoa! What do we have here!

 

 

The Ramanasramam temple!

There is a Lord in the temple, who meditates on Rama, and dances…

The Dancer!

He’s my kind of guy! What joy!

All right… Let’s move on to the peacock grove….

And lets dance too.

 

*

Sree Rama Jayam! Jai Hanuman!

Sivaratri 2013

Arunachala!

Arrived here, evening today….

*

First of the four-times Pooja being offered at Ramanasramam…

*

Setting off for Giri-Pradakshinam now…

Signing off this post with a view of the sunset from Arunachala hill…

Pictures taken on cell phone… Pardon that…

*

Om Nama Sivaya!

Now, to walk around Siva!

Arunachala – Sivaratri 2012

20/Feb/2012….

Mahasivaratri! Greetings from Arunachala!

Sharing a few pictures…. Two of Arunachala as the sun goes down…

And one of Ramaneshwara Mahalingam at Sri Ramanasramam, during the first of the all night Sivaratri Puja…

*

The next….

*

And Arunachala Ramana!

*

Setting off on the holy walk around Siva…. Giripradakshina….

Om Nama Sivaya!