Immortal Words of his holiness Srimad Jagadguru Swami Sudarshanacharyaji Maharaj
The great Hindu revival that took place in Tamil Nadu between the fifth and ninth centuries A.D. saw the emergence of Tamil as a powerful instrument that carried the old faith to the masses and served as a resplendent medium of expression for bhakti, or love of God, which was the chief characteristic of its resurgence. Buddhism and Jainism had previously spread in the South, using Tamil as the language of religious propaganda and poetic…
Venkatadri samam sthaanam Brahmaande naasti kinchana;Venkatesha samo devo na bhootho na bhavishyati! “There is no place in the universe equal to Venkatadri;no deity has ever been or will be equal to Venkatesa!” So declares the Varaha Purana. Tirumala, the abode of Lord Venkateswara, is the ultimate goal of all devotees from time immemorial. The Puranas, along with the soul-stirring hymns of great savants like Tallapaka Annamacharya, the Alvars, and the Haridasas, unequivocally praise the supreme…
Varanasi, also known as Benares or Kashi, is one of the oldest living cities in the world. Varanasi’s prominence in Hindu mythology is virtually unparalleled. Mark Twain, the English author and literature, who was enthralled by the legend and sanctity of Benares, once wrote: “Benares is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together.” According to the Vamana Purana, the Varuna and…
Brahmaji received this science of Godhead directly from the Lord, and he handed it over to Narada, who in turn instructed Srila Vyasadeva to expand it. Thus, the transcendental knowledge of the Supreme Lord is not a product of mental speculation by mundane wranglers but is uncontaminated, eternal, and perfect knowledge beyond the jurisdiction of material modes. The Bhagavata Purana is therefore the direct incarnation of the Lord in the form of transcendental sound, and…
In this material world, we find that everything is temporary. It comes into being, stays for some time, produces some by-products, dwindles, and then vanishes. This is the law of the material world, whether we use as an example this body, a piece of fruit, or anything else. However, beyond this temporary world, there is another world of which we have information. This other world consists of a different nature, which is sanatana (eternal). Jiva…
Prahlad was crowned king after his father. He was succeeded by Virochan, then Sena, and finally Bali. Bali, king of the Asuras, wanted to seize the position of Deva Indra and conducted a yagna to achieve this. During the yagna, Bali was gifted four horses, a chariot complete with a flag, a bow, and a quiver full of arrows. Armed with these and aided by a large army of Asuras, Bali stormed into the heavenly…
In Kaliyuga, Bhagavad Bhakti (devotion to the Lord), singing bhajans, and naama sankirtan (chanting or singing His name) are considered very important for attaining spiritual success: Dhyan Krutey Yajan Yagyestretaayam Dwaparerchayan, Yadapnoti Tadapnoti Kalou Sankirtya Keshavam What one achieves through meditation in Satya Yuga, through sacrifices (yajnas) in Treta Yuga, and through worship (archana) in Dvapara Yuga, can be attained in Kali Yuga simply by chanting the name of Lord Keshava (Krishna).Vishnupuran “The consequences attained…
The Lord has created two worlds: one is the world of spirituality, and the other is the materialistic world. The world that is visible to the human eye, known and can be seen, is the materialistic world. The world that is in total contrast to this is known as the world of spirituality. Our activities in the materialistic world, like wealth, affluence, respect, and stature, are limited to where they are and can never be…
The consequence of service to mother, father, and Acharya or teacher is very significant and noteworthy. Service to these three bestows the fruit or consequence of going on pilgrimage or performing yagnas. One can never do anything in return for receiving the Grace of these three people; you are indebted to them all your life. The grace or blessings one receives from these three is known to be the actual nectar. Just as we go…
By the mercy of the Lord, one finds a Guru, and by the mercy of the Guru, one finds the Lord. “The Guru receives benediction from the ocean of mercy. Just as a cloud pours water on a forest fire to extinguish it, so the Guru delivers the materially afflicted world by extinguishing the blazing fire of material existence. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a Guru, who is an…
There is a prosperous village called Sriperumbudur, thirty miles southwest of Madras. In the village, there is a beautiful and spacious temple consecrated to Lord Vishnu. Within the sanctum sanctorum stands Lord Sri Adikesava Perumal, with a smiling face casting gracious looks equally on all. On the other side of the temple courtyard stands another shrine, within which is seated, with folded hands, in the place of the chief servant, the prince among ascetics (Yatiraja),…
It is natural for a philosophical mind to seek the origin of creation. When a person sees the stars at night, they naturally speculate about their inhabitants. Such inquiries are natural for humans because they possess a developed consciousness higher than that of animals. The author of the Srimad-Bhagavatam provides a direct answer to these inquiries: Lord Sri Krishna is the origin of all creations. He is not only the creator of the universe but…
All the scriptures, Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas, Saints, and our Hindu culture have accepted the glory and greatness of the remembrance, repetition, and chanting of the Divine name of LORD NARAYAN – The supreme personality of Godhead and primeval cause of all events. Although the great poet Saint Tulsidas ji composed the famous Ramcharitmanas, which contains the epic of Lord Rama (an incarnation of Lord Narayan), in Manglacharan, he beseeches Lord Narayan, resting in the ocean…
There is an account of how much time we spend taking the name of the lord in our lives. We may live 100 or 200 years, but the important fact remains how much time we devote to Him and how much time we spend taking the name of the lord. That is our true wealth. Eating, drinking, progeny, and everything else exist in all the 84 lakh forms of life too. The shastras say: Aahaara,…
You are the soul, not the body. Weapons cannot harm the atma, nor can they kill it. Fire cannot burn the atma. The person who has sent us into this world is known to be the king of all the three worlds, and that Satchitaananda (or The Supreme Spirit) is the absolute. He is our father, the supernatural. The supernatural who has given us this human form of life is very kind. We have forgotten…
It is true that Sri Guru Maharaj is not presently amidst us, and we are facing difficult times. We have been assigned greater responsibilities, and society seems to expect a lot from us. Our conduct in society reflects on our Guruji, his stature, and the whole of Siddhadhaam. We need to contemplate and analyze the present situation to understand what exactly happened. Throughout his life, Guru Maharaj nourished us with nectar and took upon himself…
Andal composed two significant works in her short life. Both are in Tamil and are unique in their literary, philosophical, religious, and artistic content. Her contribution is even more remarkable considering that she was a teenage girl when she composed these poems, at a time when there is no other record of Tamil women composing poetry. Far from being the prattlings of a youngster, Andal’s verses display a literary and religious maturity far beyond her…
Holi also means “sacrifice.” Burn all the impurities of the mind, such as egoism, vanity, and lust, through the fire of devotion and knowledge. Ignite cosmic love, mercy, generosity, selflessness, truthfulness, and purity. In days of yore, there were communities of cannibals in India. They caused much havoc, threatening the lives of many innocent people. One of them was Holika or Putana. She took immense delight in devouring children. Sri Krishna destroyed her and thus…
O Adorable Krishna! Let my longing eyes behold Thy form. Let my ears hear Thy flute. O Healer of all sorrows! Show me Thyself. Thou art the only Truth—All the rest is false. I crave not for Mukti; I long not for emancipation; Let there be devotion to Thy feet. Be kind unto me, O Lord! Remove my delusion. I am a servant unto Thee. The auspicious hour came. The star Rohini was shining. It…
Walking down the corridors of the Sriranganathaswami temple at Srirangam, one would discover apocryphal stories unraveling at every point. The Lord, endowed with human traits and considered by the people as their own child “Ranga,” resides here. This ancient island town on the banks of the Cauvery throbs with life perennially and is home to many peace-loving residents who seem to be members of one huge family. “The people of this town treat Ranganatha like…
The figure of Rama and several episodes from the Ramayana are prominent in the poems of the Tamil mystics (Alvars), as well as in the devotional meditations and theological arguments of the Srivaishnava preceptors (Acharyas). This article will explore the importance of the Ramayana in Srivaishnava theology and experience by focusing on the Tamil poetry of the Alvars and on the interpretation of these verses by their commentator, Periyavaccan Pillai (born 1228 A.D.), a Srivaishnava…
Bhagwan Sri Ramanujacharya is well known in South India, where his influence was paramount. There are very few people who follow the doctrine of Bhashyakar Ramanujacharya outside South India. Those that do follow his doctrine belong to what is known as the Sri Sampradaya. It is time that people of the world know what religious doctrine he preached and the basis of his philosophical conclusions (Siddhanta). It is important to know whether this doctrine was…
With my humble obeisance at the lotus feet of my beloved Guruji, I would like to pen my thoughts on Seva Dharma as taught by Him and other saints and savants. In the past 20 years of my intense association with saints and devotees of different faiths and beliefs, and through reading a lot of spiritual literature, I have come to the conclusion that Guruji’s message and discourses are the simplest to follow and practice….
Vishnu Purana The Vishnu Purana is considered the most important of all the Puranas. It contains the five technical divisions of the Puranas and is divided into six adisas. It deals with the events of Varahakalpa and contains twenty-three thousand shlokas. The theme revolves around the ten incarnations of MahaVishnu, making it one of the most ancient Puranas and earning it the name Puranaratna (gem of Puranas). The method of narration is in the form…
Advaita and Vishishtadvaita have no connection at all. Advaita is implicit atheism. Advaita is called “Prachanna Bauddham” (hidden Buddhism). Advaita is based only on a personal interpretation of Abheda-sruti. In Advaita, Brahman is the only knowledge-self reality and is without any attributes. The three types of differences, namely difference in individuality, difference in types, and differences in its integral parts, are not in Brahman. Nothing other than this Brahman is reality. Though Brahman is eternally…
Lord Vishnu, in his incarnation as the Boar (Varaha avatar), had killed Hiranyaksha. The devas (demi-gods) celebrated with great joy in the kingdom of Heaven, unaware that their rejoicing was to be short-lived. Hiranyakashipu, the elder brother of Hiranyaksha, was seething with rage and vowed to avenge his brother’s death. He turned to the other asuras (demons) and ordered them to destroy all good people on earth. The orders were to disturb all prayers, extinguish…
Gurus are always inundated with questions from inquisitive and ignorant devotees. While many of these questions relate to life, one’s future, past lives, relationships between different Gods, and more, some devotees inquire about how to find a Guru and how to behave in the presence of a Guru. It is important to understand that God will facilitate the union of man and Guru, just as God facilitates the union of man and God. However, prior…
A Guru, a world within himself, is divine, and his depth is beyond the measure of this universe. By merely changing his outward appearance from time to time, he comes amidst us now and again, but he is free from the cycle of birth and death. Through committed devotion and blind faith, devotees must aspire to connect with that divine soul. The undisputed truth is that one can avail fleeting pleasures by connecting with the…
Once a Guru and disciple relationship is established, it goes well beyond the physical body. This bond extends into the spiritual world and can continue through different cycles of life and death in the human form. Every man has been sent to this earth with equal powers. It is their interests and childhood experiences that ignite their passion, channeling this power towards pursuing a goal or developing a talent. An individual could be an expert…
A Guru is a religious teacher, a divine soul that takes birth to lead mankind out of darkness into light—‘GU’ meaning darkness and ‘RU’ meaning light. Attempting to describe a Guru is practically impossible, for the depth of his attributes is beyond the comprehension of us mere mortals. The languages spoken globally are not rich enough in adjectives to describe the profound nature of a Guru. We, mere mortals, have neither the ability to understand…
Om Namo Narayana! Discretion, or the power to decide, is another name for the essence of thought. The essence of the canons is also discretion. We are the sons of Parmatma. We have to unite with Parmatma. Whenever such knowledge awakens in us, it is said we have gained discretion. In fact, when such discretion covers our mind and intellect, it is not that physical matter disappears, but our attachment to the physical world dwindles….
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