Aug 30, Sivananda
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Sivananda Lahari
Discourse on Sivananda Lahari
Day 29, August 30
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Ganesaya Namaha
Sri Saraswatyai Namaha
Sripada Vallabha
Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha
Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Sadgurubhyo Namaha
We were at the Ganapati temple attending a cultural program. That temple was going through a court case because the city of Mysore objected to their location since it was situated at a crossroads junction in the city. At that time, they had Swamiji’s darshan. Swamiji assured them of success in the case. They were invited to build a temple in the ashram itself if they should lose. They won the case. This conversation with them delayed my return a little bit this evening.
Om asato ma sadgamaya
tamaso ma jyotirgamaya
mrityor ma amrtam gamaya
Om Santissantissantihi
Please lead me from untruth to Truth, from darkness to light, from death to immortality. We pray for peace.
Bhajan: Siddhidoota buddhinatha
Today is the auspicious Rishi Panchami. Please offer your prayers to God. All the sages got together today to worship Lord Ganapati. Prayers offered today will be definitely answered, the scriptures declare.
Verse 63:
Margā varthita paduka pasupater angasya koorchāyate
Gandoo śāmboo nishechanam pura ripoh divyābhishekaa yate
Kinchid bhakshita māms sesha kabalam navyopahārayate
Bhakti kim na karoth yaho vanacharo bhakthā vatam sāyate
In just a single verse, the entire story of the great devotee Kannappa of Sri Kalahasti is given. Sri Kalahasti is near Tirupati. Sri Kalahasteeswara is the Kshetrapalaka/divine guardian for Tirupati. One must have His darshan on the banks of river Swarnamukhi, in the company of His consort Sri Jnanaprasoonamba. Due to lack of upkeep the temple is now in a dilapidated state.
Tinna was the son of a hunter couple. Tinnadu is one who is very straightforward and righteous. Once, he chased after a wild boar. It ran and entered a thick shrub. He followed it and did not find the boar there. Instead, he found a Siva Lingam. He felt very thrilled. He decided to stay and take care of it. It needed to be dusted and cleaned. He used his own sandal to wipe off the dust off the Siva Lingam. Sri Bhagavatpada refers to the footwear as Padukas/sacred sandals. Koorcha=brush. Tinna used his footwear as a brush to wipe off the dirt. He was a young boy. He felt overwhelming love for Siva. He wanted to bathe and feed the Lord. He took some water into his mouth, as much as he could hold, from a nearby water source. He walked back to the spot. He spat on the Siva Lingam lovingly to wash Lord Siva. God was thrilled with this innocent devotion. The celestials wish to bring down the sacred Ganga or offer bath with Amrita to God. Siva was more pleased with this bath given by Tinna. After bathing Siva thus, Tinna wished to feed Siva, because he believed that Siva was very hungry. Tinna had some meat, in a bowl made from leaves. Here, Tinna tasted each morsel and then offered it to God. All he had were a bow and arrow and some meat in a container. He offered the meat to God since he found it tasty. Tinna was very insistent that God should eat it. He kept begging Siva to eat. But Siva would not consume the food. Tinna vowed that he would not leave the spot until Siva ate. He waited for days for Siva to appear and accept his food. The hunter family did not look for Tinna because they were used to his long absences. Siva had no choice but to come down and accept the hospitality of Tinna. Tinna had no clue that such a thing as literacy even existed. He was so ignorant in knowledge but so extraordinarily rich in devotion.
Koorcha also means the spot between the eyebrows. Tinna noticed blood oozing from the Linga. He thought that it was Siva’s eye that was bleeding. Tinna applied all kinds of herbal pastes to heal the wound. He plucked out his own eye and gave it to Siva to replace the bleeding eye. Another spot began oozing blood then. Tinna thought that it was the second eye of Siva that was now bleeding. Tinna placed his foot in that spot to mark it, and was going to pluck out his other eye to give it to Siva. Siva appeared at once and stopped Tinna and called him “Kannappa”. Kannu means eye. Tinna got a new name since then. Tinnadu became Kannappa.
In Sri Sailam, Sri Bhagavatpada remembered Kannappa and honored him in just a single beautiful verse. Tinna only knew the sign language for communication. He could not even properly verbalize. He was a savage living in a jungle.
Nothing is impossible for devotion to accomplish. Even today the first Naivedyam is offered to Kannappa. Only after Kannappa eats, Siva eats at this temple. Kannappa is the highest example for perfection in devotion.
There is an ardent devotee in Bannur whose name was changed to Kannappa by Swamiji. Because he grows the harvests there, we are able to enjoy the food here at Annapurna Mandiram.
Verse 64:
Vakshastādana mantakasya kathinapasmara sammardanam
Bhoobrith paryatanam namatsura shira koteera samgarshanam
Karmedam mrudalasya tāvaka pada dwandvnasya gowripate
Machchetho mani pāduka viharanam Shambho sadā angikuru
Our knowledge gets in the way of our worship of the Lord with complete innocence, the way Tinna adored the Lord.
The moment Sri Bhagavatpada mentioned the footwear, he felt an instant strong urge that he should also offer to Siva proper footwear.
Tinna’s devotion was innocent and ignorant. But we have half knowledge. We cannot lapse back into total ignorance. We have to gain full knowledge and offer proper worship. We will not be forgiven for actions done half-heartedly or with half-knowledge.
Siva got wild at Yama that he was going to take the life of Markandeya. Yama was flung and fell far away.
The message is: Do not yield to Time. Be bold and face Time. Yama represents Time.
How it must have hurt Lord Siva’s foot that he kicked the iron-hard chest of Yama/god of Death.
When Swamiji slapped us while we were young, we used to feel how it must have strained our Sadguru to punish us. We are thick-skinned and do not mend our ways easily.
Siva wanders in the mountains where the paths are uneven and thorny. The celestials offer prostrations to you Siva, and the sharp edges of their crowns scratch your feet. You need protection for your tender feet.
When we touch Swamiji’s feet, our sharp and dirty nails cause him great discomfort. We have to be very alert and keep our nails short, smooth, and clean.
We always invite Mother Goddess Lakshmi to come into our homes gently and slowly walking carefully and gracefully. We do not ask that she should come rushing.
My mind is the jewel-studded Padukas, says Sri Bhagavatpada.
Jagadish from Bangalore has made crystal Padukas for Swamiji.
O Siva, do not walk barefooted. If you wear these mind-padukas, they will protect your feet. Please rest your feet in my heart.
We cannot think of a more ardent prayer than this.
Verse 65:
Yacchetas tava pāda padma bhajanam tasyeha kim durlabham?
Vakshastādana śankaya vichalito vaiwaswato nirjarāh
Kotirojjwala ratna deepa kalikā neerānjanam kurvate.
Drushtwa mukti vadhu sthanoti nibhrutāślesham bhāvani pate
Yacchetas tava pāda padma bhajanam tasyeha kim durlabham
Vakshastādana sankhaya vichalitah vaiwaswatah.
That heart that serves your feet lovingly finds nothing that is impossible to accomplish in this world.
Some of our wishes may not come true. Some boons are short-lived and we feel sorry. But the unseen gifts from God like our life force, our breath, our lifespan, we do not recognize and appreciate.
Yama cautions his subordinates to avoid going near any devotees of Siva. I have been kicked once. I never again wish to be kicked by Siva, is the dreaded thought of Yama. He will avoid approaching any devotees of Siva in the future. Yama, who is normally merciless, runs in fear from them. All the gods protect the devotees of Siva and offer them camphor lights. Mukti is the bride who comes to embrace the devotees of Siva. You grant us everything O Lord Siva. Is there anything that is impossible for the devotees of Siva? Contentment is the gift given by Siva, which is not available anywhere else in the world. Some people keep wishing for unattainable things and finally reconcile to not having their desire fulfilled. That is not the way. One must give up having a desire for even things that are available freely.
Children build sand castles on the seashore and stomp all over them and destroy them at the end of the play. O Lord Siva, Paramatma, you create, you play with your creation, and you destroy everything at the end.
Siva is worshiped here as the Trinity. Why do Siva, Brahma, and Vishnu meditate? They meditate upon the Supreme Soul. They manifest themselves with specific attributes when Creation comes into existence.
Verse 66:
Kreedārtham srujasi prapancha-makhilam krredāmruga-sthe-janāh
Yat karmācharitham mayā cha bhavatah prethyai bhavatyeva tat
Shambho swasya kuthūhalasya karanam macheshtitam nischitam
Tasmān māmaka rakshanam pasupate kartavya-meva twaya
Why have you created this entire Universe? It is your sport as a puppeteer. You remain invisible. Only the puppets are seen. But you are the puppet master who runs this show; that being the case, all my karmas should apply to you because you are the ones pulling all the strings.
Who gets applauded? Only the puppet master deserves the applause. The lifeless puppets simply fall limp at the end of the show, back in their box.
The audience appreciates the puppet characters and their actions. But who is behind their actions? A shadow play was a popular form of entertainment in the olden days.
As puppets, what power or initiative do we have? Suddenly if a rope snaps, what happens? The doll is cast aside. Another lifetime/Janma is given to us when we are repaired and given a new rope. We have to be careful and very alert because we are dancing to God’s tunes. We must dance according to His will. We cannot take liberties to act in ways that would displease God. Please grant me the capacity to act in a manner that will always give you pleasure, O Lord Siva.
Devotees often feel like questioning God what His purpose is in creating this universe, and making them act in this life-drama. What name to give this ever-changing play? A tragedy suddenly turns to a comedy or a comedy suddenly becomes a tragedy. What is the meaning of all this?
Many ask: What have I done to deserve this sorrow? We do not remember. God has the account and all the calculations.
Please grant us the opportunity to act as per your wish to give you happiness and entertainment.
It is your duty to protect me. You get the result of all my karma. You have no choice but to save me since you are controlling all my actions. I surrender all actions performed for you by your direction and energy.
Bhajan: Amma memu nee chetilo bommalamma
Mother, we place our complete faith in you since you have brought us to this earth from up above. We are here because you have brought us here as puppets in your hands. Please treat us with kindness. The worldly life is like a tree with countless branches. We have been made to climb this tree. We are lost for direction. We are lost in this maze. Please show us the way and guide us safely to our destination. Illusion is wildly rocking us back and forth like a swing. Place hold us tight us and protect us. Please wipe off all old and stale beliefs. Please sing us the new song that will grant us Sat, Chit, and Ananda.
Sri Guru Datta
Sri Ganesaya Namaha
Sri Saraswatyai Namaha
Sripada Vallabha
Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha
Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Sadgurubhyo Namaha
We were at the Ganapati temple attending a cultural program. That temple was going through a court case because the city of Mysore objected to their location since it was situated at a crossroads junction in the city. At that time, they had Swamiji’s darshan. Swamiji assured them of success in the case. They were invited to build a temple in the ashram itself if they should lose. They won the case. This conversation with them delayed my return a little bit this evening.
Om asato ma sadgamaya
tamaso ma jyotirgamaya
mrityor ma amrtam gamaya
Om Santissantissantihi
Please lead me from untruth to Truth, from darkness to light, from death to immortality. We pray for peace.
Bhajan: Siddhidoota buddhinatha
Today is the auspicious Rishi Panchami. Please offer your prayers to God. All the sages got together today to worship Lord Ganapati. Prayers offered today will be definitely answered, the scriptures declare.
Verse 63:
Margā varthita paduka pasupater angasya koorchāyate
Gandoo śāmboo nishechanam pura ripoh divyābhishekaa yate
Kinchid bhakshita māms sesha kabalam navyopahārayate
Bhakti kim na karoth yaho vanacharo bhakthā vatam sāyate
In just a single verse, the entire story of the great devotee Kannappa of Sri Kalahasti is given. Sri Kalahasti is near Tirupati. Sri Kalahasteeswara is the Kshetrapalaka/divine guardian for Tirupati. One must have His darshan on the banks of river Swarnamukhi, in the company of His consort Sri Jnanaprasoonamba. Due to lack of upkeep the temple is now in a dilapidated state.
Tinna was the son of a hunter couple. Tinnadu is one who is very straightforward and righteous. Once, he chased after a wild boar. It ran and entered a thick shrub. He followed it and did not find the boar there. Instead, he found a Siva Lingam. He felt very thrilled. He decided to stay and take care of it. It needed to be dusted and cleaned. He used his own sandal to wipe off the dust off the Siva Lingam. Sri Bhagavatpada refers to the footwear as Padukas/sacred sandals. Koorcha=brush. Tinna used his footwear as a brush to wipe off the dirt. He was a young boy. He felt overwhelming love for Siva. He wanted to bathe and feed the Lord. He took some water into his mouth, as much as he could hold, from a nearby water source. He walked back to the spot. He spat on the Siva Lingam lovingly to wash Lord Siva. God was thrilled with this innocent devotion. The celestials wish to bring down the sacred Ganga or offer bath with Amrita to God. Siva was more pleased with this bath given by Tinna. After bathing Siva thus, Tinna wished to feed Siva, because he believed that Siva was very hungry. Tinna had some meat, in a bowl made from leaves. Here, Tinna tasted each morsel and then offered it to God. All he had were a bow and arrow and some meat in a container. He offered the meat to God since he found it tasty. Tinna was very insistent that God should eat it. He kept begging Siva to eat. But Siva would not consume the food. Tinna vowed that he would not leave the spot until Siva ate. He waited for days for Siva to appear and accept his food. The hunter family did not look for Tinna because they were used to his long absences. Siva had no choice but to come down and accept the hospitality of Tinna. Tinna had no clue that such a thing as literacy even existed. He was so ignorant in knowledge but so extraordinarily rich in devotion.
Koorcha also means the spot between the eyebrows. Tinna noticed blood oozing from the Linga. He thought that it was Siva’s eye that was bleeding. Tinna applied all kinds of herbal pastes to heal the wound. He plucked out his own eye and gave it to Siva to replace the bleeding eye. Another spot began oozing blood then. Tinna thought that it was the second eye of Siva that was now bleeding. Tinna placed his foot in that spot to mark it, and was going to pluck out his other eye to give it to Siva. Siva appeared at once and stopped Tinna and called him “Kannappa”. Kannu means eye. Tinna got a new name since then. Tinnadu became Kannappa.
In Sri Sailam, Sri Bhagavatpada remembered Kannappa and honored him in just a single beautiful verse. Tinna only knew the sign language for communication. He could not even properly verbalize. He was a savage living in a jungle.
Nothing is impossible for devotion to accomplish. Even today the first Naivedyam is offered to Kannappa. Only after Kannappa eats, Siva eats at this temple. Kannappa is the highest example for perfection in devotion.
There is an ardent devotee in Bannur whose name was changed to Kannappa by Swamiji. Because he grows the harvests there, we are able to enjoy the food here at Annapurna Mandiram.
Verse 64:
Vakshastādana mantakasya kathinapasmara sammardanam
Bhoobrith paryatanam namatsura shira koteera samgarshanam
Karmedam mrudalasya tāvaka pada dwandvnasya gowripate
Machchetho mani pāduka viharanam Shambho sadā angikuru
Our knowledge gets in the way of our worship of the Lord with complete innocence, the way Tinna adored the Lord.
The moment Sri Bhagavatpada mentioned the footwear, he felt an instant strong urge that he should also offer to Siva proper footwear.
Tinna’s devotion was innocent and ignorant. But we have half knowledge. We cannot lapse back into total ignorance. We have to gain full knowledge and offer proper worship. We will not be forgiven for actions done half-heartedly or with half-knowledge.
Siva got wild at Yama that he was going to take the life of Markandeya. Yama was flung and fell far away.
The message is: Do not yield to Time. Be bold and face Time. Yama represents Time.
How it must have hurt Lord Siva’s foot that he kicked the iron-hard chest of Yama/god of Death.
When Swamiji slapped us while we were young, we used to feel how it must have strained our Sadguru to punish us. We are thick-skinned and do not mend our ways easily.
Siva wanders in the mountains where the paths are uneven and thorny. The celestials offer prostrations to you Siva, and the sharp edges of their crowns scratch your feet. You need protection for your tender feet.
When we touch Swamiji’s feet, our sharp and dirty nails cause him great discomfort. We have to be very alert and keep our nails short, smooth, and clean.
We always invite Mother Goddess Lakshmi to come into our homes gently and slowly walking carefully and gracefully. We do not ask that she should come rushing.
My mind is the jewel-studded Padukas, says Sri Bhagavatpada.
Jagadish from Bangalore has made crystal Padukas for Swamiji.
O Siva, do not walk barefooted. If you wear these mind-padukas, they will protect your feet. Please rest your feet in my heart.
We cannot think of a more ardent prayer than this.
Verse 65:
Yacchetas tava pāda padma bhajanam tasyeha kim durlabham?
Vakshastādana śankaya vichalito vaiwaswato nirjarāh
Kotirojjwala ratna deepa kalikā neerānjanam kurvate.
Drushtwa mukti vadhu sthanoti nibhrutāślesham bhāvani pate
Yacchetas tava pāda padma bhajanam tasyeha kim durlabham
Vakshastādana sankhaya vichalitah vaiwaswatah.
That heart that serves your feet lovingly finds nothing that is impossible to accomplish in this world.
Some of our wishes may not come true. Some boons are short-lived and we feel sorry. But the unseen gifts from God like our life force, our breath, our lifespan, we do not recognize and appreciate.
Yama cautions his subordinates to avoid going near any devotees of Siva. I have been kicked once. I never again wish to be kicked by Siva, is the dreaded thought of Yama. He will avoid approaching any devotees of Siva in the future. Yama, who is normally merciless, runs in fear from them. All the gods protect the devotees of Siva and offer them camphor lights. Mukti is the bride who comes to embrace the devotees of Siva. You grant us everything O Lord Siva. Is there anything that is impossible for the devotees of Siva? Contentment is the gift given by Siva, which is not available anywhere else in the world. Some people keep wishing for unattainable things and finally reconcile to not having their desire fulfilled. That is not the way. One must give up having a desire for even things that are available freely.
Children build sand castles on the seashore and stomp all over them and destroy them at the end of the play. O Lord Siva, Paramatma, you create, you play with your creation, and you destroy everything at the end.
Siva is worshiped here as the Trinity. Why do Siva, Brahma, and Vishnu meditate? They meditate upon the Supreme Soul. They manifest themselves with specific attributes when Creation comes into existence.
Verse 66:
Kreedārtham srujasi prapancha-makhilam krredāmruga-sthe-janāh
Yat karmācharitham mayā cha bhavatah prethyai bhavatyeva tat
Shambho swasya kuthūhalasya karanam macheshtitam nischitam
Tasmān māmaka rakshanam pasupate kartavya-meva twaya
Why have you created this entire Universe? It is your sport as a puppeteer. You remain invisible. Only the puppets are seen. But you are the puppet master who runs this show; that being the case, all my karmas should apply to you because you are the ones pulling all the strings.
Who gets applauded? Only the puppet master deserves the applause. The lifeless puppets simply fall limp at the end of the show, back in their box.
The audience appreciates the puppet characters and their actions. But who is behind their actions? A shadow play was a popular form of entertainment in the olden days.
As puppets, what power or initiative do we have? Suddenly if a rope snaps, what happens? The doll is cast aside. Another lifetime/Janma is given to us when we are repaired and given a new rope. We have to be careful and very alert because we are dancing to God’s tunes. We must dance according to His will. We cannot take liberties to act in ways that would displease God. Please grant me the capacity to act in a manner that will always give you pleasure, O Lord Siva.
Devotees often feel like questioning God what His purpose is in creating this universe, and making them act in this life-drama. What name to give this ever-changing play? A tragedy suddenly turns to a comedy or a comedy suddenly becomes a tragedy. What is the meaning of all this?
Many ask: What have I done to deserve this sorrow? We do not remember. God has the account and all the calculations.
Please grant us the opportunity to act as per your wish to give you happiness and entertainment.
It is your duty to protect me. You get the result of all my karma. You have no choice but to save me since you are controlling all my actions. I surrender all actions performed for you by your direction and energy.
Bhajan: Amma memu nee chetilo bommalamma
Mother, we place our complete faith in you since you have brought us to this earth from up above. We are here because you have brought us here as puppets in your hands. Please treat us with kindness. The worldly life is like a tree with countless branches. We have been made to climb this tree. We are lost for direction. We are lost in this maze. Please show us the way and guide us safely to our destination. Illusion is wildly rocking us back and forth like a swing. Place hold us tight us and protect us. Please wipe off all old and stale beliefs. Please sing us the new song that will grant us Sat, Chit, and Ananda.
Sri Guru Datta