Sri Hari!

By Sathgurunathar Grace, this is a humble attempt to express my blog which is borne out of the fathomless and unconditional eternal grace showered by my beloved gurunathar and the blessings of Lord Sri Krishna! बर्हापीडं नटवरवपुः कर्णयो: कर्णिकारं बिभ्रद् वासः कनककपिशं वैजयन्तीं च मालाम्। रन्ध्रान् वेणोरधरसुधया पूरयन् गोपवृन्दै-र्वृन्दारण्यं स्वपदरमणं प्राविशत् गितकीर्तिः ॥५॥

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This YouTube series will include excerpts from the Divine Lectures of HH Maharanyam Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji. Sri Guruji, as He is fondly known as, conveys profound messages in a sublimely simple, yet immensely powerful manner. Sri Guruji's lectures are an invaluable guidance for every spiritual seeker. Join us to soak in this blissful nectar!

Video Edits: Global Organisation for Divinity, India  Transcription and Sub Titling Team: Global Organisation for Divinity, New Zealand, Auckland Chapter  Title Track: Anugraham by Global Organisation for Divinity, Australia, Sydney Chapter

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Srimad Bhagavatha Sapthaham At Erode - Parimalam Mahal (near bus stop) Perundurai road, Sengodampalayam, Erode.

Srimad Bhagavatha Sapthaham At Erode

Morning : Parayanam at a devotee’s residence (Private).

Evening : Lecture by Sri Swamiji

Venue for Lecture: Parimalam Mahal (near bus stop) Perundurai road, Sengodampalayam, Erode.

Map: 8MGP+FC2, near bus stop perundurai road, Sengodampalayam, Tamil Nadu, India

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Only Medicine for the present world - Namakeerthanam. Only way in Kali is namakeerthanam and the book which describes it is the Srimad Bhagavatham.

The greatness of Srimad Bhagavatham is that wherever the parayanam of Srimad Bhagavatham is being performed and where it is listened to, in that place, Kali will never come. The present world in which we live is Kali, Kali meaning "Kalmasham". There is a lot being told in many discourses on how the people would be in Kali and how they would act. The only medicine for Kali is Srimad Bhagavatha parayanam. Srimad Bhagavatham also tells us about the significance of Namakeerthanam. Due to the influence of Kali, even a suddha Atma, who had been with the lord in his birth itself, like Parikshith was subject to a wrong doing by putting a dead snake around the neck of a sage. Even playfully, Kali should not get associated with anyone.  

Parikshith put the snake around the neck of Maharishi Sameekar and as a result his son Sringi pronounced a curse upon him after which he listens to the Srimad Bhagavatham for 7 days. Since he had a curse as a result of this Kali dosha, he listened to Srimad Bhagavatham which removes this dosha. That in itself is testimony to the fact that Bhagavatham will remove the doshas of Kali. 

Once the Srimad Bhagavatham was hid by Kali. It is known that one who is doing good in Kali will get lot of bad happening to them. If one is suffering a lot, it does not mean he is bad and if one is living in the lap of luxury, we cannot brand him as good even. In Kali, one cannot differentiate between the good and bad , either in suffering or comfort as we see from Mahabharata, the good pandavas suffered whilst the bad kauravas, duryodhana and his people were indeed in comfort. Those who believe in God will suffer a lot but they will never leave God, that's their greatness. Only way in Kali is namakeerthanam and the book which describes it is the Srimad Bhagavatham. Radhe Radhe

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We can draw some parallels from nature. Looking at the spider weaving its web endlessly in the garden, I feel that we are experiencing a similar thing in our life too.

The spider weaves a big web in the hope of catching an insect and ultimately satisfy its quest for food. We too work endlessly in the materialistic world in the hope of creating our web, settle in it and ultimately satisfy our quest for food.

What we fail to see is that the web created by the spider is itself temporary as we often see it being destroyed quite easily due to actions of nature and human.

Likewise, is not our web temporary too? Nothing is permanent in this world. We verily have witnessed this ever so quite often through the acts of nature and humans.

Bhagavan has given us the sense through the compassionate grace of Guruji to be able to realise HIM as permanent, eternal, imperishable, indestructible. HE resides in us, we are a part of HIM and how then can we ever perish! Those who say "NAMA" can never perish.

Guruji constantly helps us to realise the nature of the imperishable by reciting the various "KATHAS" of the lord in order to foster faith and bhakthi in us.

We are indeed blessed to be born as a human on Earth and be under the grace of our Guruji who always inspires is and protects us. Radhe Radhe

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HIS VOICE - HH Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamigal pearls of wisdom

Radhe Radhe!

We are delighted to bring to you the first video of the much awaited series.

HIS VOICE

Sublimely simple; immensely impactful!

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https://youtube.com/channel/UCSlmCZ1tsRV8aVZKCcHmbFg

If you wish to share these nectarine droplets from Sri Swamiji with family and friends, we request you to share the YouTube link. Kindly refrain from downloading and sharing the video in parts or in full.

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Increase listening to discourses and Chant Nama

AlODya sarva shAstrANi vicArya ca punaH punaH idamekaM suniShpannaM dhyeyon nArAyaNaH sadA.

Analysis of all the Sarva sastras again and again will tell you one and one thing only, "Always meditate upon the name of Narayana" 

Chant Nama always.

yamasya karunA nAstI kartavyam harikeerthanam. 

"yamasya karunA nAstI"

The God of Death has no compassion. Do not waste your time; Life is getting reduced every second. 

"kartavyam harikeerthanam" - Perform Nama chanting now itself. 

Chanting the Divine names of God, especially the "Hare Rama..." Mahamantra as prescribed in the Kali Santarana Upanishad, is the simplest & the most practical path to liberation and attainment of Universal Love in this age.  

The Vedas and the scriptures constitute the bedrock of our Sanatana Dharma and need to be protected by all means.  

Ancient temples (especially those glorified by great saints such as Alwars/Nayanmars) are storehouses of spirituality and have to be renovated and maintained with utmost care & devotion.

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Covid to KovidA

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We are performing namakeerthanam always, then we get tired of it. We say we are doing it and wonder what did we see out of it? The Mind still has desire, anger, fear, jealousy and nothing has changed at all, but don't worry about this but just keep chanting as one day it will all definitely change. Why are you not seeing now? It's because the namakeerthanam is now removing your sins and that's why you are not seeing the benefit. Once the sins are decreased and ultimately removed, then the fruits will begin to show up. How can the path shown by the mahans become false. How can what the Guru has told be false. They will never tell the wrong thing, they will tell only what is the truth and you patiently just do this. Lord Ranganathar himself gives chitta suddhi, Jnanam, Bhakthi, Vairagyam and then the Lord will come and occupy the place in one's heart. Therefore "Kaval il pulanai vaithu". 

a) Control the mind and perform namakeerthanam if you can 

b) Let the mind run helter-skelter, perform namakeerthanam 

c) Give the control-of-mind responsibility to Sri Ranganathar, perform namakeerthanam

ANY WAY, FOR THE ONE PERFORMING NAMAKEERTHANAM, HE WILL NEVER PERISH. "namE bhakthaHa pranishyathi". 

Radhe Radhe

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Chant Namakeerthanam

"Keep on lighting the fire of namasankeerthanam on the stove of your soul to boil away all the "bad" vasanas from the vessel of your being" ~ Anand

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. 

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare! Radhe Radhe

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Nama and Niyama!

Whilst contemplating on Niyama (personal ethics), I discovered that the word "Niyama" is indeed composed of the letters "N-a-m-a" within it, clearly evidenced by the first line in the Mahamantra song composed by our Guruji - "Kalaiyai Bali Kollum tuli "Niyamam" illatha, keerthanam pAdiyire". Even if we are not following a fraction "tuli" of all the prescribed Niyamas, no problem, chanting Nama will help us at getting better and better in our Niyamas and rid us of Kali and therefore let us keep chanting Namakeerthanam always. Radhe Radhe ~ Anand 

Kalaiyai Bali Kollum tuli "Niyamam" illatha, keerthanam pAdiyire, keerthanam pAdiyire Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare |

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The Spider (Tamil: Silandhi) in my garden has been weaving its web by spitting out the saliva from its mouth tirelessly. I seemed to wonder at the amount of tireless effort and dedication it does to weave its web without a care to the elements surrounding it. Suddenly there was a thunderous downpour of torrential rain and a gusty wind. This destroyed the web. But once again it does it duty unflinchingly to create another (as said in the Srimad Bhagavad Gita - Karmanye Vadikarasthe....). When its web is destroyed it just sucks it inside (just like drawing inward into its Self from the material world) and out it comes again to do the job (into the material world) with matchless perfection. Just to think how a small spider is able to do this shows the power of the macrocosm and brings us closer to God !!! Radhe Radhe ~ Anand

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YAMASYA KARUNA NASTI KARTAVYAM HARIKEERTHANAM

"YAMASYA KARUNA NASTI" - The God of Death has no compassion. Do not waste your time; Life is getting reduced every second. "KARTAVYAM HARIKEERTHANAM" - Perform Nama Chanting now itself. "One need not hesitate any further to chant nama when faced with yama. Time is ever being consumed by him." - Notes I took from the recent scintillating discourses at Narada Gana Sabha, a treat to the indriyas with infinite boundless timeless nectarine of divine wisdom from our Guruji for 9 glorious days !!! Radhe Radhe

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HH Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamigal's Birth Anniversary Message (21st Oct '98)!

We are all really fortunate...

This world is so vast; millions live in this world. While their life is going on somehow, our life is a lot different from theirs. The reason?... Our Lord Sri Krishna has taken us all as his very own folk and that is the reason. So for us this divine company (Sath Sangam) is indeed a boon and good fortune. But can we just be complacent with this?

When we see someone without hands, we do feel, "Thank goodness, we are healthy and our hands are intact! We should take good care of this, else we may be reduced to his state." True, but over and above this, a intelligent person would also strive to use his healthy hands to do as much good deeds possible when it is still healthy. Right?

Similarly, realising that getting into a Sath Sangam (and a Sathguru, of course) is indeed a rare stroke of good fortune, one should strive to utilise this god' s gift wisely. But what is 'utilising' a Sath Sangam?

In spite of being a part of a Sath Sangam, if we still lead a life of lust, anger and laziness; if we still lead a life different from what is prescribed by the scriptures, what is the difference between a person in a Sath Sangam and one who hasn't had the good fortune of being a part of a Sath Sangam? We should lead a life that is a role model to others; a life, seeing which others should feel envious with blatant appreciation and wonder; and not a wanton life subject to world's mockery. When we tell others that we have taken refuge in a Sathguru or a Sath Sangam for so many years, we should reflect on our level of maturity to face this world, we should do some soul searching to find if we have really progressed spiritually. Our age is rolling on, but if we are still struggling without spiritual progress and mental peace, what is the use?

There are some who are "Giant Starters". He typically starts grandly in any field with such zeal and enthusiasm that could make others jealous. As the time passes, when he starts facing obstacles, his zeal and fire die slowly yet steadily, and ultimately he winds up the task he had embarked upon. If he builds a house, when it is new, he keeps everything spic and span, but as time rolls on his negligence towards the upkeep of the house increases and pretty soon his house would look like a dirty den with cobwebs hanging all around! Anything new attracts his attention and his interest deteriorates in due course of time.

Similarly, getting on to a Sadhana with seriousness at start, on reaching a Sath Sangam or on reading some books on spirituality or on hearing from someone, then abandoning the efforts after sometime is of no use. The zeal and intensity of a Sadhak while starting on a path should only grow more intense in the course of the Sadhana and should not wane till the goal is reached.

Mind, due to is very nature is ever-vacillating. Many a time we find that our senses, losing control pull us down. Those are the times when we shouldn't lose heart and accept failure; we should gird up loins and bravely wade through such difficult times. Whenever we find our mind going astray, we should pray with all our heart, earnestly. This gives good results. When we sit for meditation or Japam (silent Chanting of Lord's name), we find that our mind becomes one-pointed. Praying during such instances certainly yields the fruits. What I am driving at is that, if you know what is obstructing your way of spiritual progress, and if you sincerely pray to get the obstacle removed, your prayer shall be fulfilled. In a one-pointed mind, Bhakthi or Gnanam (divine wisdom) finds its place easily. We shouldn't talk much unnecessarily. Chatterboxes are certainly not the Champions of achievements. The minds of those who talk much would always be vacillating .

Our dress should be clean; our food should be clean and consumed in right quantities at the right time. We should be ever cheerful and brave; we should never get upset for anything; we should not worry over others' gossip and unjust reproach, we should take this as the "part of this game called life"; we should never get angry; we should be humble and show love towards one and all; we should be forgiving; we should never waste our precious time; we should see the good in all. Hurting others with our words is the worst kind of violence.

Now you may ask me, why we should live the way I have described above. If you want Sri Krishna, this is the only way. If we can live this way, we would have a pleasing and a bovine countenance of a beautiful deer or a peaceful cow. We should not look fearful and belligerant like a lion or a tiger!

We should never mock at or make fun of anybody. If we are always playful, without much seriousness, our life would also playfully pass by, fruitlessly. We should have some seriousness in any of our endeavors. We should ALWAYS THINK POSITIVELY, dismissing such dismal thoughts like "I am born unlucky" or 'I am a sinner' and the like. We should have courage and faith in ourselves and should always think that we can achieve everything we want to. We should never try to hide from problems; but act with faith and with a steady mind.

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Agacha Agacha sajjana sangam mAgacha mAgacha durjana sangam

"Agacha Agacha sajjana sangam

mAgacha mAgacha durjana sangam"

Satsangham is durlabham. Wherever Satsangham is happening even if it is far off, Bhagavatham says "dUrE harikatha" do walk far distances to be in Satsangham. In Srimad Bhagavatham, Sukar tells Parikshith that which leg has not gone to attend satsangham is a wooden leg;which hand has never offered a flower to bhagavan is equal to the hand of the dead;which ear has never listened to the greatness of the bhagavan is a snake den;which house (it does not matter whether it has been built upto 5000 sq.ft or 3000 sq.ft is not important), where atleast 3 bhagavathas have not stepped in, is not a home.

Do not go into durjana sangam. This mind has a character, think of it as a basket and in that basket some things fall via the ears, some via the eyes, some via the mouth. So whatever the mind takes in, it catches it and asks for it again. If shown once, it is enough for the mind. The behaviour is similar to that of a deer or the bird. The deer always goes about grazing with a large group and likes being close together, likewise the birds fly together as a group. If you see an ant it goes in a line one behind the other. Sugar has been spilt here and I will observe the ants, the ants will follow a line and I would think not one ant will overtake the other and observe traffic rule so well whilst the human does not follow. Just like the ants, birds and other life forms who like to be in company, so is man too. He won't shun company and being together is his behaviour. When he wants to go to a cinema, drama, discourse, he would usually ask a friend to accompany him and will not go if the friend does not come with him. So that is the association, Group behaviour. So for the man who likes this company, keep the good people as your company, keep company of those who often talk about the bhagavan only as your friends. Those who say bhagavan is kripalu, dayalu, chant namasankeerthanam, read bhagavatham, only keep them as your friends. Why, because we may not get this human birth again, you may not know after how many births you may be born as human again, you may not know how the world would have changed then, whether you will be born in india, whether you will know about satsangham nor know if you will have a Guru. Acharyal says "punarapi jananam punarapi maranam punarapi jananii jathare shayanam iha samsaare bahudustaare kripayaa apaare paahi muraare". "Janani" means mother, "Jatar" means stomach, where the child is sitting - "Janani jatarE sayanam". There is water all around the child. The child let's out its waste in the water around its foetus and small worms come as a result. These worms bite the child and the child suffers as a result. When the mother eats ice cream or drinks hot coffee, the child suffers from it. Inside the womb it suffers a lot. Therefore it has the "janmAnthara smrithi" thinking about how in previous janma "Guruji came to my house and told me to perform namasankeerthanam, but I did not listen then and fought about that, I got angry and left the place. As a result, in this janma I came to be born like this. In this janma atleast when I am born, will my mother hold my little hands and ask me to tell Krishna Rama Govinda Hare Rama Krishna Govinda" or tell me to go to America and earn money and come, I don't know". Therefore "Be in sadhu sangam always, don't leave the sadhu sangam at any cost". Radhe Radhe

"Agacha Agacha sajjana sangam

mAgacha mAgacha durjana sangam".

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Seeing GOD in everything

We are told to see God in everything around us, be it a tree, flower, nature i.e., in anything and everything. However Guruji says "When you are saying you are seeing GOD in everything, it should be like how the Mahans or Great saints saw GOD in everything around them. What do we really mean by that?

Seeing GOD in everything is not a thing to practice and be able to do that. For example you see a thing, identify it to be that thing and then think of it as GOD. For example, say you see a beautiful flower, you first identify that as a flower and then attribute it to be a GOD. This is not a practice being able to see GOD. This is not how the Mahans saw GOD. When they see the flower spontaneously, instantly they see the GOD, they don't see a flower but see GOD in the flower. Unless and until we get that feeling of being able to see GOD in the flower we cannot claim that we are seeing GOD in everything. Radhe Radhe

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Desire of the pure mind - HH Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamigal

Kaval il pulanai vaithu, apart from the above two types of namakeerthanam, there is a third meaning. Lets say there is a child in our house, we go outside to get some rations, we need to stand for a long time at the ration shop. If we bring the child and make it stand for long hours, it will be tired and be hungry. The child cannot be left alone in the house also. What we then do is that, we go to our known neighbor and leave the child in their care, telling them to take care of the child responsibly while we go and get the rations. What the neighbor will do, he will treat the child as its own, not allowing the child to slip or fall in a pit or gutter, not allowing it to touch anything and thus take care of the child safely until the child is returned back to her mother. So what is the third thing, you tried control of the mind, you tried allowing it go helter-skelter then there is this third thing. The Kaval (control) of the pulanghazh is at the lotus feet of Lord Sri Ranganatha. Is not the lord, the rishikesha, the chieftain of the indriyas "aham indriyo rishikesha twam yantri kEla keshava", as you are the chieftain. So my eye should not see wrong sights, ear should not hear wrong words, mouth should not eat wrong foods - all this is your responsibility. Put the responsibility on HIM - Kaval "il" pulanai vaithu - and you perform the namakeerthanam. Perumal will give all that you need automatically. We have already said that one who may have have jnana, vairagya may not get bhagavath darshanam but one who performs namakeerthanam certainly will. The Jnana, vairagya will come on its own. 

Sri Ramakrishnar will tell a beautiful story. There was a king and he had a servant. The servant was extremely fond of this king and loved him with his life. Being so fond of this king, he has a desire, one day to invite him to his home and treat him nicely. He will keep asking the king often to come to his home. But the king has his own protocol, he cannot sit at ordinary chair, visit ordinary places etc. He needs a throne, security arrangements setup, he may need fan, need serving as per royal arrangements but the servant was caught up in his love for the king. The King then asked his minister to make arrangements ready for his visit. Immediately 100 people went to the house, whitewashed it, put fans, AC, made security arrangements in all the neighboring houses, brought all gold cups and saucers, finally the king came. He stayed and made the servant happy but when he left, the king did not take anything with him as this was not a big thing for him. Likewise, just keep the desire that the bhagavan should come to you, that's enough. The yogyatha will come automatically from the bhagavan to you. The desire should not be an act or a drama it should be truthful. Keep on saying, "Ranganatha, please come to my heart, again and again keep calling!". Bhagavan will come to the pure heart. The bhagavan knowing the devotee's desire wants to take a place at the heart  of the devotee but he knows that if the devotee's chittam is not clean, how can he go and occupy the place. Radhe Radhe

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Perform Namakeerthanam you will perish not! - HH Sri Sri Muralidhara swamigal

We have been saying that the easiest way to attain the bhagavan is by namasankeerthanam, everyone will have a doubt how we can see God. But for the one performing namakeerthanam will be able to see GOD. One way is by being truthful, stand in dharma, have unflinching faith and the other way is by performing namakeerthanam. But say if the person who is performing namakeerthanam who will not possess any of the above mentioned gunams, he will not care for the jeevan by his side, not have even the basic humanitarian considerations, even such a person can see the bhagavan. But this is contrary to the fact that one can see the bhagavan only if he isa  suddhatma, possess the dharmic qualities, truthfullnes and drida bhakthi vairagyam vishwasam. How contrary this is? One is very slim, the other is fat, one is dark and the other is fair, one is tall, other is short like this. Even to Sakshath Naradar, the bhagavan has said that one should have the necessary qualities of vairagyam, dridanishtam - "Avipakka kashayanam durdarsha aham kuyoginam", but to those performing namakeerthanam such qualities are not found, how will these then attain the bhagavan. Not only that "name bhakthaha pranisyathi", the bhagavan says in the Gita as well. My devotee will never perish and those words also we need to keenly understand. "namE bhakthaHa pranishyathi" - my devotee will not perish, who? prahlada will not perish, ambarishan will not perish, why? if they will not perish then what is purpose of performing bhakthi? For prahlada to attain moksha, for ambarishar to attain moksha, Gopikas to attain moksha - all this is no thing to be debated at all. IT IS GAURANTEED FOR THEM, good gathi, paramapadam is sure for them. The reason for "namE bhaktha pranishyathi" is for the likes of Ajamila, being a durAcharan chants the nama will also be protected. This is the main thing. If you understand whose name is this, it is enough. "Jagatprabhum deva devam anantham purushottamam" - the name is of Jagadeeshwaran, eko vishnur mahatbhutam and its the name of the BHAGAVAN, not the name of kuppan or subbhan. The nama prabhavam is such. How will one get the darshanam of the bhagavan by performing bhagavannamakeerthanam is "Even is he is not fully filled with good qualities "gunapoornan", as he keeps doing this namakeerthanam all the sins in his mind will be cleared. As his sins get cleared, the sad buddhi "good thoughts" will develop and manifest  and as good thoughts develop, he will become a suddAtma, then once he has become a suddAtma he will develop the desire to see the bhagavan, the desire for Jnanam will come, vairagyam will come, bhakthi will come then he will see the bhagavan. Thats why, when "name bhakthaHa pranishyathi" was told by bhagavan in the Gita, bhagavan also told another, that if bhakthi for ME is present in the devotee, then "Kshipram bhavathi dharmAtma" - I WILL MAKE HIM A DHARMATMA VERY QUICKLY. I WILL CERTAINLY MAKE HIM A GOOD PERSON. Why, because he has developed love and concentration for me, he has developed a desire to tell my name always. So I will make him a good person, I will give him gnana, bhakthi, vairagyam as well as give my darshanam to him also.

THEREFORE FOR THOSE PERFORMING NAMAKEERTHANAM CAN NEVER PERISH! Radhe Radhe!!

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Travelling on the ship called Nama - HH Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamigal

The moment you have started chanting the Nama, you are already on this ship. The Nama is verily the propeller of the ship. The captain of this ship is none other than Sri Krishna Himself! The Nama Dwaar team members are your co-travelers. The destination is Vaikunta! The mundane matters of the life are the like munching during the journey which may have a variety of tastes, sweet, sour, salty, tangy, bitter and spicy.

The captain is and experienced navigator and belongs to the place where we go! So we can rest assured that our journey will be safe and sound! At times He does mischief, but he is not harmful at all! One has to be careful not to fall in love with Him, for, His form, His style, His language, His dress – all of them are unimaginably beautiful! ~ HH Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamigal

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Path shown by Azhwars is the basis! - By HH Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamigal

In the Srimad Bhagavatham it is said beautifully about a method described to attain the bhagavan. If you have not followed the method shown by the mahans and do whatever you think is the best method you liked, you may not attain the bhagavan but what will remain is just "sramam yevahi kEvalam", what remained is the difficulty you faced. There will be no fruit begot. All effort in vain. Because you did not follow the method shown by the mahans.

NAMAKEERTHANAM IS THE EASIEST WAY, THE BEST WAY, THE WAY THAT WILL YIELD GREATEST BENEFITS.

So one cannot ask questions on how this will give us this. why, did anyone tell you there is such a thing as moksham, did you see this? who said? Sastras have said. Mahans have said.

Mahans have said there is moksham, presence of another world, punyam, papam, presence of GOD and if we do such and such a thing we can attain God. Which means you can attain God only in the way dictated by them and not by going down your own path. So the sayings of mahans is the authority, they have shown the path and have said that path is namakeerthanam. If you go all around India you can find several bhakthas. In Karnataka we can find Purandaradasar, ashta dasar, Kanakadasar, Vijayadasar and  several such have sung glories of the Lord. If you go to Maharashtra (Marati desham) we can name Tukaram, Namadevar, Gnaneshwar, Janabai, Ekanathar several such bhakthars have sung the glories of the lord. In Uttar pradesh, Rajasthan, Swami haridas, Mirabai have sung in praise of the Lord. So many have sung and for all these mahans a path was shown. All these several bhakthas have followed, be it Swami Jayadevar, Mahaprabhu, be it Bhadrachala Ramadasar, Thyagarajar of Tamil Nadu, they all have followed the path shown by one. Who showed this path? They were the AZHWARS! The path shown by the 12 Azhwars were followed by all these several bhakthas to attain the bhagavan. What is that these 12 Azhwars showed?, what path all these bhakthars took? In India before all these bhakthas came, the foremost among them were the Azhwars. 

Do Namakeerthanam. That's the reason why all these bhakthars sang about bhagavan. If we fully read the 4000 Divya prabhandam again and again its about singing. Without doing namakeerthanam what's the use of reading the divya prabhandham. The full of prabhandam talks of singing the namakeerthanam. Since these 12 Azhwars told so, all the bhakthars from Maharastra, Purandaradasar, Jayadevar and Bhadrachala Ramadasar all mention the significance of the namakeerthanam. Radhe Radhe!

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Answers and Beyond - HH Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamigal

1. God, Devas (Celestial Beings), other realms, rebirth, sins, merits (punya) - are all these true? Answer - Yes, they are very much true

2.  If that's the case, why are they not perceived by all? Answer - They are not perceived by all because not everybody posesses the caliber to do so.

3. What special caliber/attribute is required to perceive these? Answer - The only caliber/attribute that is required is devotion (Bhakthi) or Wisdom (Jnana). Devotion and Wisdom are "one" and the "same".

Read more from the book "Answers and Beyond", compilation of answers given by our Guru Maharaj to various questions by all kinds of people, the original compilation in Tamil is titled "Iniyavai Nooru" and has been translated in English by Bhagyaji. Radhe Radhe

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Bhakthi is Namakeerthanam and Namakeerthanam is Bhakthi!

By HH Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamigal - The way to get "eternal happiness" in a simple way is bhagavannamakeerthanam.

This greatness of the namakeerthanam is what azhwar keeps telling in the tirumalai. Whatever be the type of jeevan, even if he is dirty and had several sins, what is the greatness with the namakeerthanam is that it will cleanse him, give him kripa and also grant him moksha. You dont have to search for methods to cleanse yourself, remove your sins and attaining mukthi. Namakeerthanam is to cleanse your mind as well as to attain Mukthi. One is very thirsty and desiring for water and say if this is not given to him, he will lose his life and just to preserve his life and breathing he needs water. But with he same water when he returns from outside back to his home, he cleans himself with the same water. He takes a bowl of water, washes his legs, washes his hands, washes his face, washes his eyes, washes his mouth and then drinks the same water also and says "appada!" and gets back his life again. Will we say that the water is different for the one he used fir washing his hands and legs and the other he drank. Both are essentially water. 

What water purified him was also gave him life.

=== "Likewise the namakeerthanam purifies yourself as well gives you mukthi" ====

Whether you do Dhyana Yogam, Karma Yogam, Gnana Yogam its fine but namakeerthanam is MANDATORY. Do Namakeerthanam. Radhe Radhe!

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As chanting nama constantly does its work of inner transformation in a subtle way, we sometimes may wonder as to why we are feeling the gratitude come within us spontaneously for all we have been given and often ponder over the nature around us as to why everything seems to be going on about its work nicely without any intervention whether we are part of it or not. These come as blessed and peaceful thoughts. The very basic instincts surface in us as our thoughts and actions being purified by nama start to become childlike and we would feel the same wonder a child feels about when he is moving about. You may notice this also when you see that little children look to you with their usual happy and peaceful smile. Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare. Radhe Radhe ~ Anand

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'How can you know in which direction you are going? Why don't you do what the first-class railway passenger does? He tells the guard his destination, locks the doors and goes to sleep. The rest is done by the guard. If you could trust your Guru as much as you trust the railway guard, it would be quite enough to make you reach your destination. Your business is to shut the door and window and sleep. The guard will wake you up at your destination.'

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In one of Guruji's Veedu Thedi Varugiran Vittalan Episodes, had an interesting revelation, for a thought I was pondering for a long time - which one is better listening to Nama or chanting Nama. Guruji says, chanting gives you twice the benefit. You chant with your mouth and listen to it as well with your own ears, 2 times the benefit. its thats simple, really. Radhe Radhe ~ Anand

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Answers and Beyond - HH Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamigal

22. What happens if I refuse to accept the existence of God?

It does not make any difference. Even if millions of people deny the existence of the truth, it does not cease to exist. Conversly, just because millions of people attempt to proclaim the existence of falsehood, it will not become true.

66. It is said the sins committed by our ancestors will affect us too. How can this be fair?

All the wealth accrued by our ancestors is happily and rightfully inherited by us. The same holds good for sins too!

Read these... and many more answers in this book "Answers and Beyond" translated in English by Dr.A.Bhagyanathanji. You can order online the full book at Madhuramulari or Namadwaar site - http://www.madhuramurali.org/

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Sri Rama Navami - Lets chant Rama Rama Rama Rama...

Rama Rama Rama Rama Rama Rama Rama Rama Rama Rama Rama Rama Rama Rama Rama

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Excerpts from Sri Ramakrishnar Movie - significance of namakeerthanam

Later when Girish of Bagbazar who was the most hated worst  drinker came under influence of Sri Ramakrishnar, he could not get intoxicated anymore. He met Sri Ramakrishnar again and fell at his feet claiming to be a sinner (even there is not enough water in the Ganges to cleanse him!!!). Ramakrishnar says, "He who calls upon God even once, sin cannot pollute him. You are not a sinner, don't keep saying so or you will become one. Call upon the name of "Mother". Even a small spark can destroy a cotton mountain". Girish says "he is not used to calling "Mother" name and cannot do now. why cant you just liberate me?" Ramakrishnar asks "can you not call mother even once in a day?" Girish says "Most of the time I am not aware of my whereabouts. I have no idea of how time passes through the day. I dont think I will be able to keep the promise. Ramakrishnar says "Alright, cant do that. All right in that case, like a guardian who takes care of the welfare of the minor, you give me the power of attorney. I will pray to mother on your behalf. You can then rest assured that your guardian will take care of your affairs. Can you do that. Girish gives the power of attorney to Ramakrishnar but asks how he can spend his time. Ramakrishnar says "As you are doing now, eat drink and be merry. drinking is an external condition for you. Mother will end this desire in you whenever she wishes. You have so much faith. You don't have to worry, just carry on living as you are. Radhe Radhe

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Srimad Bhagavatha Sapthaham - Sri M K Ramanujamji in Birmingham

This day of October 30th 2011 marked the beginning of the "Srimad Bhagavatha Sapthaham" with a scintillating discourse by Sri M K Ramanujamji, probably the first saptaham that has been happenning in the UK by the grace of HH Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamigal. The event was presided over by His Excellency Consul General of India, Sri C G Rao, other distinguished guests and VIPs from diffe...rent communities.

Sri M K Ramanujamji started with the chanting of the Dhyana Shloka of Srimad Bhagavatham with divine reverberations that put the whole atmosphere into transcendental silence. The devotees recited the

shlokas with great attention and all of us could feel that we were all about to enter into the abyss of timelessness with ancient wisdom brought into modern times right into the magnificient Hall of the Shree Geeta Bhavan, Birmigham UK. Just after the Dhyana Sloka, Sri Ramanujamji started to prepare us by unfolding the significance of the Srimad Bhagavatham. The devotees gathered were mentally taken to Brindavan from Birmingham.

The discourse began with the ABCs of - "What is discourse, why should one say something and and why should the others listen, what is listening and what is importance of mantra basically sound"

Sri M.K. Ramanujamji then started to enlighten us with the fundamentals of using our senses to try and understand Srimad Bhagavatham and how it came into being in the context of our scriptures and why the shlokas and mantras in Ancient Hindu scriptures were primarily meant to be heard. He narrated with down to earth practical examples which struck everyone with awe and wonder. Many of his examples were quoted to prepare us all in the journey of exploring the timeless wisdom and how we can best apply the same in our modern times. The nature of our puranas which are beyond time and space was explained in such a fantastic and simplistic way by Sri Ramanujamji and this has helped devotees to contemplate on the way to reach out to the divine within and around us.

Now you can hear the divine discourse in the enclosed Video links below:

As the discourse by Sri Ramanujamji continues every evening until the 5th of November (saturday), we request you all not to miss this golden opportunity.

Here is the YouTube Link of the playlist:

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE0D4465C55ABB37A

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Nama and Prana - by HH Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamigal

"The greatest of all wonders is that if the air that goes out of the body does not re-enter, the body becomes dead. Isn't it!" If one says the nAmam, the roopam of the bhagavan will come automatically to the mind. AzhwAr tells this in the first pAsuram and in the second pAsuram describes the archAvatAra tirumEni - "pachai mAmalai pOl mEni pavazhavaI kamala chengan", these words are so beautiful to say and so sweet to the tongue. 

"The greatest of all wonders is that if the air that goes out of the body does not re-enter, the body becomes dead. Isn't it! Its the air which keeps going in and out of the body. How is it going? In vishnusahasranama there is a "vAyuvAhanAyaI namaHa”. " Lets say a man on a horse comes down to a village and sees a house. Thinking he wants to spend some time in this house and enjoy the greenery of the village, he will allow the horse to graze in the morning and tie it to the house in the evening and repeat this daily. He will stay like this until the day comes when he is ready to leave the house and go back the way he came. He will go the same way as he came. by mounting himself on the horse. Likewise the prAna is sitting on the body. Keeping the prAna as the vehicle the jeevan is living inside - vAyu vAhanan. Just as long as he decides to stay in this body, this prAna (like the horse mentioned in the above example) goes out to graze and comes back, goes out and comes back. When it thinks its sufficient, the vAyu goes out but does not come in but instead goes up and we then say the air has gone out from him. 

Azhwar looks at the Lord Sri Ranganathar and says "AdhalAl piravi vAEndAEn arangamAnagarullanAE" - we should not think azhwar is telling himself, he is in fact telling us!!! If we are born, we should do namakeerthanam, serve the lord but not just sleeping, making jokes or thinking about his disease. Then what is the use of being born? If such a life then its not worth having it. Thus in our life during the younger days, middle age and in the old age, much of time is gone in sleep and azhwar tells us to be wary of it. Radhe Radhe

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Mahatma Gandhijis View on Namasankeerthanam

Bapu's view on chanting namasankirtanam - The Energy and power of Harinaam by a crowd is manifold than the energy of a battalion in an army.

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Extract from Azhaikkindran Arangan by HH Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamigal

Periyavachanpillai beautifully says, "Kaval il pulanai vaithu", "il" - Kaval il. Let this pulanghazh run as they wish, don't bother. Let the mind run hither and thither, dont worry. Keep on performing namakeerthanam! Someone says, sir, my mind is not getting controlled. Yes, the mind will not. But you still do namakeerthanam. As you chant namakeerthanam more and more, all your sins will start to decrease rapidly and then automatically the mind will come to control. Kaval il pulanai vaithu - If at all you have the intelligence to be able to control the mind and perform namakeerthanam, the fruit will be got in an instant. Let the "pulanghazh" go on their own ways, you are unable to control them, due to its habit over the years it keeps running on its own but for this reason don't say you wont perform bhagavath bhakthi. Let the "pulanghazh" run as they used to, but you perform namakeerthanam and they will subside..

Likewise, just keep the desire that the bhagavan should come to you, that's enough. The yogyatha will come automatically from the bhagavan to you. The desire should not be an act or a drama it should be truthful. Keep on saying, "Ranganatha, please come to my heart, again and again keep calling!". Bhagavan will come to the pure heart. The bhagavan knowing the devotee's desire wants to take a place at the heart  of the devotee but he knows that if the devotee's chittam is not clean, how can he go and occupy the place. So the devotee is throbbing with the desire in his heart and its genuine so Lord Ranganathar himself gives chitta suddhi, Jnanam, Bhakthi, Vairagyam and then will come and occupy the place in his heart. Radhe Radhe

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Sri Rama Navami

Sri Morari Bapu quoting from Goswami Tulisadas Raam Janam, the famous stuti sung by Sri Morari Bapu in his ramkatha - On the Nine days of Vasanta Navratri in Chaitra Maasa, Lord Rama was born in Vasant ruthu (spring season)- Chaitra Maas, Navami Thithi, Shukla Paksha with all splendour and glory. The weather was as perfect as it can be and many auspicious.

As C.R says in the Ramayana - "A river or a hill,  a tree or a cloud, indeed any object of beauty may raise one to contemplation of the Supreme Being and silent worship of Him." Hare Rama Rama Rama Rama Ram Ram Ram, Sita Ram Ram Ram Sita Ram Ram Ram. Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare!!

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Food and the Mind - HH Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamigal

Once upon a time, there was an ashram and a sage came to this ashram to perform dhyana. Daily as he started to meditate he would begin to think what's happening in the world today, the politics etc., He wondered about this as he was not a worldly sort of person at all. Such a person being amidst the ashram surroundings, meditating, performing namasankeerthanam to get this thought. When meditating however there are two kinds of enemies - one is the enemy from outside, one from the inside - the vasanas that surface within us. If you see a thing and desire it, thats the enemy coming from the outside. When there is nothing, nothing outside but something springs up from inside and thats the internal enemy our vasanas. So when this worldly thinking distrubed the sage no end every day, he went to meet an elder there and described this problem. The elder told him to go and find out who is preparing his food daily and what his activities are. The cook who prepared his food daily would read the newspaper as he was cooking and stirring the pot. The cook had a lot of interest in reading all newspapers in the morning. So when a person like this prepares food the person consuming also will get the same, all this may sound as fun but this is true. Such gunas will come to stay in our mind. Food and body are connected, Food and mind are connected. How the mind operates so the heart acts. Sometimes when our hinduism is mentioned they would jokingly call this as a kitchen religion. Radhe Radhe

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Chant Namakeerthanam! - HH Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamigal

Whatever thoughts that rise in our mind there is a colour associated with it. Sattvic thoughts are white, Rajasic thoughts are red and Tamasic thoughts are black in colour. When an elder person and a sadhu who is always chanting namasankeerthanam visits a home and after he leaves, the inmates of the house say that after that elder visited his home the marriage of his daughter got fixed miraculously or his son got a job. Are these both our own imagination or is there a truth in it? What is in this? Say one who has lots of jealously and competition in his mind and visits our home thinks what a big house this is and how luxuriously they are living, then these convert as thoughts which spread themselves around inside the house and spreads through the cosmic. These thoughts then bring about some harm as well. If a good person visits, he thinks let these people be happy and good and get more and more things in future, these thoughts bring about lot of goodness to the house. This is the truth and this is the cosmic. If in a home there is constant namakeerthanam, visits by mahangal and satsangham happening always, that house will have the power of God within and even when bad thoughts spread inside this house there will be no ill effects. That's why our elders have done like this, in each town there is a temple and in each home there is a pooja shelf, a perumal platform to perform swami pooja because in that home there will be godly thoughts prevalent. If such divine activities are happening then in such a home, good things will happen. As much as we can we need to perform a perumal thiruvaradhanam, sahasranama parayanam, namasankeerthanam as per our strength we should keep doing. Radhe Radhe

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Whomsoever chants nama all his sins will be wiped out - HH Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamigal

Bhagavan in the Gita said "tasmAt shAstram pramANamtE kAryAkAryavyavasthitau". Don't make the decision in your mind whether this is right or this is wrong - mind is prone to doubt and if mind involves with wrong doing, it will pick up the wrong samskArams. So mind cannot be the ultimate authority (pramAnam) in deciding good or bad, only sAstram can be pramAnam. sAstram is anantham, its ever full. You cannot just read all the sAstram and decide which is right and which is wrong. So if you want to be at peace with what is right or wrong, do follow the sampradAyam, the achArya and perform your duties without fail. The achArya would have done the same, he would have followed in the footsteps of his achArya. If we follow this method, we can, without any fear have no doubts about our rights and wrongs. We need not identify new ways of doing things and worry about right and wrong if we just follow the path laid by our periyaval. So yamadharmarAja said that ajAmila had done several bad deeds and so he has to be taken to yamaloka. The sAstram which claimed that if one does wrong deeds, he begets hell, one does good deed begets heaven, one does tapasya begets boons, one does upAsanam begets the appropriate worlds, the same sAstram has also said an other thing.

"WHOMSOEVER CHANTS BHAGAVANNAMAM ALL HIS SINS WILL BE WIPED OUT". 

Chithragupta is the person in yamaloka who is responsible for taking stock of all bad deeds and good deeds and keeps exact note of that. He has a big and huge ledger book and in that he has jotted down very correctly the good and bad deeds of one from morning till night every day of his earthly life. He has written down the name of the person, his address, his identification all this is in the books of Chithragupta. But what happens is that if one even without his own knowledge says "NARAYANA" all the sins that are recorded in the book of Chithragupta vanishes in an instant.

When we store and load lots and lots of data in our hard drives or computer in the good feeling that everything is safe with us, just when we accidentally press the DELETE key all data is lost in an instant. Similarly if the word "Narayana" is said, all the bad deeds are washed away. Thus the same sAstram which dictated what are our good deeds and what are our bad deeds also dictated that with "Bhagavannamakeertanam" all our sins will be washed away completely.

WHY THEN DON'T WE BELIEVE THIS? Is it because its so EASY? or 

DO WE THINK THAT OUR SINS NEED NOT BE WASHED AWAY SIMPLY or the WORRY LEST OUR SINS LEAVE US!

Whether your sins will be destroyed or not, its not for you to worry - "tasmAt shAstram pramANamtE", no need for us to have a second thought - the pramANam is sAstram. God is there, sAstram is the authority. Do we know Good or Bad? sAstram is the authority. Who has seen heaven or hell, sAstram is the authority. Only on the authority of the sAstram do we say that God is there, there is a world of devAs, devAs have the power to bless us, there is life after death all this has meaning for the asthikA (the believer). Who has seen? sAstram is for the asthikAs. The Maharishis without any discrimination, without any omissions or commissions have left all this entirely for us to follow as well as God has blessed us with this sAstram.

This sAstram tells you that, "IF YOU CHANT NAMA, ALL YOUR SINS WILL DISAPPEAR", WHY THEN DONT YOU HAVE BELIEF IN IT? DONT JUST USE THE MIND AND CONFUSE YOURSELF!".

In a certain home,sudarshana Homa is performed. All the Homa ingredients are added into the fire, do we see the Sudarshana Azhwar come in person and take the offering? If a Homa is done in the method of purushasUktham, did we see the Lord Narayana himself come and accept the offering. Yet we still continue to perform these homas and beget benefits. Did we then have a disbelief in that homa that we did this according to the sAstram and nothing happened in front of our eyes. Likewise if we say the namasankeerthanam, will our mind get control, will this remove our sins, will our sushumnA nAdi come up - we dont need to worry about all this. 

IF YOU DO NAMASANKEERTHANAM WITH BELIEF AND FIRM FAITH, ALL YOUR SINS WILL BE REMOVED.

ONE MAY ARGUE, OUR SINS ARE HUGE BUT THE NAMASANKEERTHANAM IS SMALL, WILL THIS NAMA REMOVE THESE HUGE SINS..."IT SURE WILL!". Radhe Radhe

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Dhyeyo Narayana Sada - HH Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamigal

Sri Veda Vyasar thus tells in his Mahabharata "Alodya sarva sastrani vichArasya punapunaha idam ekam sunispannam dhyeyo narayanah sada" - whatever sastras I blessed with unto this world, again and again I scrutnized and analysed to find out what is its essence - "idam ekam sunispannam dhyeyo narayanah sada", it says ultimately that one has to do dhyAnam of the Lord Narayana. 

How does one do the dhyAnam of Lord Narayana. Closing your eyes and in the space within your heart thinking of "Shanka Chakra GadhAdhara Catur Bhuja Vanamali Kaustubham Srivastham moorthi of Lord Narayana is not what is meant here as this type of dhyAnam is specifically to be done at the time of the brahmAmuhurtham (very early morning). 

But one can chant the namasankeerthanam with no specific time, any time of the day, any place, by anybody and that is what Sri Veda Vyasar said by "sadA" - MEANING "ALWAYS" FOR 24 HOURS.

Thus in 24 hours what can one do is Namasankeerthanam and that is what has been allowed. That's why with namakeerthanam, do dhyAnam of Lord Narayana and thats what Sri Veda Vysasar having given his own sastram with analysis told thus. Radhe Radhe

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Faith in Guru - HH Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamigal

There is no need for one to study a lot. If one reads a lot it will only confuse him. What's necessary only has to be read. There is so much written in vedams and sastras and there will be many interpretations as being primary, for one who does not have wisdom or control or samskaram or one who has not come in acArya line will only become confused. In the Vishnu dharma, the main thing thats said is on bhagavannamakeerthanam or Govinda name is being predominantly told. Dhyanam, Yogam or Jnanam is very hard to find in anyone. When reading about very high ideals and wisdom, we may get an imagination that we will have to achieve that but thats only a maya or illusion. Our mind wont go to a small thing. But we will aim for the big thing and we will fail to get it. One who is right will think and experiment to see if he is capable of a feat.

God has said that if one cannot get dhyana, yoga or jnana as a last resort there is saranagathi, surrender. But perivachanpillai says even if one needs to have surrender he needs mahavisvAsam and cannot doubt. Need faith to have surrender. Either one has to have faith in perumal, if not atleast must have faith in the Guru. Radhe Radhe

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Therinda Puranam Theriyadha Kathai - told by Kollam Grandmother

Recently my Grandmother from kollam told me this. This is rare as this comes from the old times. Some of the Subtleties are really out there straight from the ancient knowledge and I would like to share this. In Ramayana, it is said that Kaikeyi actually wanted to send Rama to the forest out of her deep love for Rama, not withstanding the fact that she was subdued and tricked into doing this by Manthara. The Subtle fact here is that as part of the curse that Dasaratha received during his fateful hunting expedition, he would loose his beloved Rama just like how Shravanas blind parents lost their beloved son Shravana. Kaikeya who was so fond of Rama wanted to actually prevent this from happening and found that by sending Rama to exile, Rama would not be affected by the curse and would live to rule the Kingdom again. This is termed as Therinda Puranam Theriyadha Kathai in Tamil.

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Greatness of Govinda nama - HH Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamigal

In the nandavanam, having put up a tent azhwar will go to the temple to perform kainkaryam. He will not prepare food in his tent but he will instead eat the food offered as prasadam in the temple for his daily meal. Because he needs to perform seva to the perumal and needs strength so he will eat the prasadam offered. He will always be performing namasankeerthanam all the time, although there are several namas already in the Thirumazhai, the ashtakshara mantram is always "Narayana". But in this Thirumazhai, Govinda nama prabhavam is being told. A name containing 3 letters from which "Kathira bandhu paraangathi kandukondan!" is also being told. 

In the Thiruppavai, as told by nacchiAr even amongst the 12 pasurams whence the 12 namams is being prominently said, its the name of "Govinda" that nacchiAr has used 3 times repeatedly in the Thiruppavai.

The nama of Narayana tells about the paratattvam whereas the nama of Govindam tells about the saulabhyam. Azhwar in all the pasurams always tells the greatness of the Govinda nama. In the name of "Govinda" itself the bhagavan has lots of love.

Even when eating, taking bath, walking, living always by telling the name of "Govinda" no sins will get attached to him as told in the sastras. Therefore in the Thirumazhai its the greatness of the Govinda nama which is being told much. Thus this is being told in the pasuram "soodhanAi kalvanAgi dhoordharOdu esaindha kAlam", the azhwar as if telling his own charithram has made this pasarum beautifully. Radhe Radhe

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