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A Word A Day - Paribhashai (0)
we will share one word a day. this word will be one that is commonly used in srivaishnava parlance and yet its meaning for various reasons might be unknown in general.
View items...What do the āgamās or sastras teach?
The teachings of the whole range of āgamās, Śrutis, Smṛtis. Itihāsas, Purāṇās, Brahmasūtras, Pāñcarātra and sayings of Āḻvārs and saints may be summarised to cover three topics, namely,
- tattva or truths,
- puruṣārtha or the goal to be reached, and
- upāya or means to attain the goal.
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THE PHILOSOPHY OF ŚRI RĀMĀNUJĀ - VISIṢTADVAITA
written by Sri V.R. Srisaila Chakravarti
What do the āgamās or sastras teach?
The teachings of the whole range of āgamās, Śrutis, Smṛtis. Itihāsas, Purāṇās, Brahmasūtras, Pāñcarātra and sayings of Āḻvārs and saints may be summarised to cover three topics, namely,
- tattva or truths,
- puruṣārtha or the goal to be reached, and
- upāya or means to attain the goal.
What is, or rather, what ought to be our goal ?
Our goal is liberation from the bondage of material existence. Maitreyi, wife of sage Yajñavalkya, questioned him when he offered wealth to her at parting: “If all this earth with all its gems and wealth were mine without any dispute, can I become immortal?” And Yajñavalkya answered: "No, you could only live as wealthy persons live, and die as they die. Wealth does not bring immortality.” Maitreyi said: "'What shall I do with that which does not make me immortal? Tell me the means by which I become immortal. i.e. free from births and deaths.” Indra, the king of the gods, found no pleasure in heavenly kingdom, and leaving it, studied adhyātma-vidyā ,the science of self, for one hundred and one years at the feet of Prajāpati.
Narada, who was well-versed in all the Vedas, Itihāsas, Puraṇās, grammar, astronomy, mental and moral science, medicine, music, political science, and all other conceivable branches of learning, except ātma-vidyā or science of the self, in great grief for his ignorance in that branch of learning, approached Sanatkumāra and entreated him to initiate him into the mysteries of the self. Every one of us desires to get freedom from the cycle of births, deaths, rebirths and miseries of life and to get unalloyed bliss. The desire in some is very faint instinctively; in others, it is of varying degrees, according as the self-consciousness is developed with the stage and grade of evolution and intelligence. In a few, it is very acute and marked. He in whom this desire is intense and acute, almost to the exclusion of other desires, is called a mumukṣu. A mumukṣu or a person longing for release from the bondage of samsāra or material existence must necessarily know the three truths. All schools of philosophy recognize this necessity and agree in saying that freedom can be attained only by the knowledge of the truths. A person knowing the three truths,
- the enjoyer (the individual soul),
- the enjoyed (matter) and
- the controller of these two, namely God,
The three truths are:
- cit or individual soul called jiva, pratyagātmā, jivātmā, kṣetrajña, cetana and so on:
- matter, called prādhānā, avyakta, prakṛti, avidyā, māyā, acetana and so on, and
- Iśvara or the universal Soul, called Parabrahman, Paramātmā, Paramapuruṣa, Nārāyaṇa and so on.
By acit is meant the object in which consciousness or jñāa does not and cannot inhere.
By Iśvara is meant the Supreme Being, God who controls these two.
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This article is extracted from the book THE PHILOSOPHY OF ŚRI RĀMĀNUJĀ - VISIṢTADVAITA written by Sri V.R. Srisaila Chakravarti (Coimbatore) and published by V.S.R. Chakravarti, 24, Kasturi Ranga Iyengar Road, Madras - 18. The book is printed at Bharati Vijayam Press, Triplicane, Madras - 600 005 in the year 1974.
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Pramāṇa or means of knowledge
The pramātā, knower or a person desirous of knowledge, has to get knowledge of things to be known, prameya, only through the means of knowledge called pramāṇa. The existence of knowable objects is determined by the means of knowledge, called pramāṇa.
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THE PHILOSOPHY OF ŚRI RĀMĀNUJĀ - VISIṢTADVAITA
written by Sri V.R. Srisaila Chakravarti
Pramāṇa or means of knowledge
The pramātā, knower or a person desirous of knowledge, has to get knowledge of things to be known, prameya, only through the means of knowledge called pramāṇa. The existence of knowable objects is determined by the means of knowledge, called pramāṇa.
According to Cāruvākas, a school of atheists, the only means of knowledge is pratyakṣa or sensory perception. The Vaiśeṣikas and the Buddhists recognize anumāna or inference also. The Sāṅkhyas recognize, in addition, a third namely āgama. A sect of Naiyāyikas follow the Sāṅkhyas. But another sect, namely followers of Udayana, add upamāna or anology as the fourth. The Prabhākaras recognize arthāpatti as the fifth pramāṇa. (Devadatta who is stout and healthy does not eat during day. Therefore he eats during nights. This conclusion is arrived at by arthāpatti). The Bhāṭṭas and Māyāvadins add abhāva as the sixth means of knowledge. They say that the particular sense-organ which cognizes the presence of a particular object, also recognizes its absence. The Paurāṇikas recognize two more, namely, sambhava and aitihya, and say that there are eight means of knowledge.
The Vedānta school recognizes only three of the above means of knowledge, namely, pratyakṣa or perception, anumāna or inference and āgama or Śtruti or Smṛuti, etc., and include the other five in one or other of the three means of knowledge. They include upamāna, arthāpatti, and sambhava in inference, abhāva in perception, and aitihya in āgama. By āgamas are meant Śrutis or Vedas, Smṛutis, Itihāsas, Purāṇas, Brahmasūtras, Pāncarātras and the saying of Tamil Āḷvārs and saints.
Of these three means of knowledge, namely, perception, inference and āgama, perception is authoritative only regarding things knowable by the senses; inference is authoritative regarding some unseen objects whose necessary concomitance, or vyāpti with the known object, is ascertained by sensory perception, as in the case of fire and smoke. But, in the case of things beyond the reach of the senses, āgamas or śāstras are the only authority.
The word Śāstra, is derived from the root Śās (anuśiṣṭau) to teach, to inform, to govern, to correct, to advise. Śāstra is that which teaches pravṛitti or action and nivṛutti or inaction. Of all the Śāstras, Śruti or Veda is the foremost authority as it is self-authoritative, and does not depend upon any other thing for its being authoritative, unlike Smŗti, Ithihāsa, Purāņa etc., which depend upon Śrutis for their authority. The Śruti or Veda, unlike other śāstras, is not made by man or by any other being and therefore, it is eternal. That Śruti is eternal, is proclaimed in the Śruti itself. The Vedas are not made by any being as they are eternal. The Vedas are free from any of the four defects – illusion, cheating, inadvertence and disability, to which man-made works are liable. No śāstra is therefore, higher than the Śruti.
Veda Vyāsa says: “No śāstra is superior to Veda”. “This is called Veda because it teaches”. The former part or karma-kānḍa of the Vedas deals with karma or action, which is worship of God and the latter part, or jana-kanda deals with the nature of God. Thus, all the Vedas speak about God. The Lord of the Gita says: “The subject matter of all the Vedas is Myself”. The Vedas cannot be understood by ordinary mortals. Only rishis or seers can understand them. The meaning of the Vedas can be understood only from the upabrahmanās or elucidating supplementary of Vedas, which are called Ithihāsās, Purāṇas and which are the inspired writings of seers called riṣis. Ithihāsas are ancient histories like Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata which relate to events of the long past. Purāṇas deal with the evolution and involution of the cosmos, the several dynasties of kings, manvantaras and so on. The former part of the Vedas is elucidated mostly by Smṛutis and the latter part mostly by Ithihāsās and Purāṇas. The references to God and ātman in the Smṛutis are merely to show that karma is a form of worship of God, and reference to karma in the Ithihāsās and Purāṇas are made merely to show that karma is an aṅga or auxiliary to upāsana.
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This article is extracted from the book THE PHILOSOPHY OF ŚRI RĀMĀNUJĀ - VISIṢTADVAITA written by Sri V.R. Srisaila Chakravarti (Coimbatore) and published by V.S.R. Chakravarti, 24, Kasturi Ranga Iyengar Road, Madras - 18. The book is printed at Bharati Vijayam Press, Triplicane, Madras - 600 005 in the year 1974.
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Meaning of Philosophy
The sages of Greece used to be called Sophs (wise men); but Pythagoras thought the word too arrogant and adopted the compound ‘philosophia’ (I Love Wisdom), whence philosopher means ‘one who loves or courts wisdom’. Philosophy thus means ‘the science of wisdom’.
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THE PHILOSOPHY OF ŚRI RĀMĀNUJĀ - VISIṢTADVAITA
written by Sri V.R. Srisaila Chakravarti
Meaning of Philosophy
The sages of Greece used to be called Sophs (wise men); but Pythagoras thought the word too arrogant and adopted the compound ‘philosophia’ (I Love Wisdom), whence philosopher means ‘one who loves or courts wisdom’. Philosophy thus means ‘the science of wisdom’.
What is wisdom or true knowledge? A distinction is drawn by Tennyson between Knowledge and wisdom. The former is earthly, of the mind; but wisdom is heavenly, of the soul. Amarasimha says: “True and supreme knowledge is knowledge of deliverance; the other kinds of knowledge relate to other sciences and arts.” Mokṣha-Sāstra or science of deliverance is alone conducive to wisdom or true knowledge. The latest discoveries in sciences, constructions of air ships and destructive bombs and machines do not certainly constitute wisdom. Parāśarā says: that “knowledge alone by which the spotless Supreme Being is known, seen and attained is true knowledge; and science and knowledge relating to other things is ajñāna or nescience”. “That alone is vidyā or science which leads us to deliverance. The sciences will make anyone only skillful”. Philosophy thus means, Ātma-Vidyā , Brahma-Vidyā or Science of the Divine.
The end and aim of supreme knowledge, according to Hindus, is the alleviation of pain and promotion of happiness. The other kinds of knowledge only sub-serve this end. Even works on grammar, medicine etc., state that they sub-serve the attainment of mukti, or liberation and salvation. Vāgbhaṭa in his treatise on Medicine says in the benedictory stanza: “Salutation unto the oldest and earliest physician, Dhanvantri, an avatā r of Viṣnu, who uproots all kinds of disease of the mind, namely desire, anger and so on, which beget attachment, ignorance, aversion, etc.- diseases which ever persist whichever body is assumed”. Evidently, the author prays to God for the complete annihilation of the ills of samsāra or worldly existence. The central motive which must govern the whole life according to Hindu philosophy, is, how the soul may be freed from pain, how misery may be put and end to and how bliss may be attained and perpetuated infinitely. The chief defect of western philosophy lies in the fact that it is divorced from dharma or religion-law, which, in its perfection and completeness, is the supreme science-knowledge, chiefly directed towards the achievement of the desired happiness, here and here after by means of suitable actions done here. This idea was, in a way, present in mind of Socrates. Socrates was filled with the most intense conviction of the Supreme and overwhelming importance of truth, of the paramount duty of doing the right because it is right, on every occasion, whatever may be the consequence. He gave his first and superlative care to the perfection of his soul and those of others. His whole teaching rested on the doctrine, ‘virtue is knowledge’. And conversely, if virtue is knowledge, vise is ignorance. A man who knows what is right must always do the right. A man who does not know what is right cannot do the right. Knowledge is not a part, it is not even an indispensable condition, of virtue. It is virtue itself.
The Mahābhārata says: “the aim of all knowledge is the formation of character and conduct.” Unfortunately, western philosophy relegates this most important function to Theology or Ethics. But Hindu philosophy treats of metaphysics as pre-eminently goading as to action for reaching the goal. The comprehensive teaching of philosophy, in the Bhagavad Gitā, aims at the attainment of the Supreme Being, Brahman or Nārāyaņā, by means of constant practice of bhakti or upāsanā which can be achieved by karma, jñāna and vairāgya or this attachment, as beautifully summarized by Yāmunācārya in the first stanza of his Gitārthasaṅgraha. In the opening sentence of his Vedārthasaṅgraha, Bhagavān Śri Rāmānuja says: “You can reach God if, with intense love and devotion, you worship Him by mind, word and deed, by meditating on Him, by uttering His holy names, by offering flowers etc., by prostrating at His lotus-feet and so on, along with the performance of duty cast on you according to Varna (caste) and āśrama, with the correct and true knowledge of the relation between the individual soul and the Supreme Soul.” The idea contained in this sentence is developed throughout the whole work.
Unable to bear the sight of the sufferings of millions of souls in this worldly existence, four persons who were the personification of mercy, love and pity, trade for the complete annihilations of the ills of those souls. They are: Sage Parāśara, King Ranti Deva, Saint Nammāḻvār, and Bhagavān Śri Rāmanuja.
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Parāśara prays at the end of Viṣṇupurāṇa: “Let lord Hari bestow on all souls that plenty and prosperity which is free from birth, old age, death and other ills.”
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Ranti Deva saw the suffering of people during famine, cried aloud and prayed: “I do not desire to reach the place of the four-headed Brahma with all the yogic powers of animā, mahimā, etc. nor, do I covet that bliss called Mokṣa from where there is no return. But I do long to be inside all the souls and get the transference of all the sufferings and miseries of all the embodied souls unto myself; for, by my experiencing all their miseries, they may be freed from them.”
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Similarly, Saint Nammaḻvar, in the first stanza of the first of his four works in Tamil, namely, Tiruviruttam, praise to God and appeals to him as follows; “Being unable to bear the sight of suffering millions, this is my petition to you, O, Lord! Let us not get again false knowledge, bad conduct and impure body, let us not get the miseries of births and deaths. This is my appeal to you on behalf of millions of sufferers.”
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One of Śri Rāmānuja’s preceptors was Tirukkoṭṭiyūr Nambi. The guru tried the disciple 18 times to ascertain if he was a fit recipient of the sacred mantra of 8 letters. At last, the Nambi, in his grace, initiated him into the mysteries of the mantra and, at the same time wrested a promise from Rāmānuja that he would not reveal the import of the mantra to others. Ramanuja pondered over the mantra and its hidden meanings taught by his guru, overnight, and on the next day thought within himself that he could remove all the ills of humanity by openly broadcasting the sacred mantra and its meanings to the suffering humanity. Accordingly, he collected several people on the next day, and in front of the local deity at Tirukkoṭṭiyūr, preached to them the hidden meanings of the mantra. The guru heard of the disobedience of his orders, summoned Rāmānuja and asked him if that report was true. Rāmānuja replied that it was quite true. Then, the guru asked him if he knew the consequence of such a wanton disobedience. The disciples said: “Yes, I know that the worst of the hells awaits me.” “Why, then,” the guru asked him, “did you court the worst of hells?”. The reply given by Rāmānuja is most thrilling and discloses his universal love and mercy. He replied: “I alone shall go to hell as a result of my transgression of your command, while the rest of the suffering humanity, by virtue of their connection with your holy feet, by being virtually your disciples, will certainly reach heaven.” The guru was amazed by the broad mindedness, boundless love and mercy of Rāmānuja which were denied to him (the guru), extolled and pardoned the disciple.
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This article is extracted from the book THE PHILOSOPHY OF ŚRI RĀMĀNUJĀ - VISIṢTADVAITA written by Sri V.R. Srisaila Chakravarti (Coimbatore) and published by V.S.R. Chakravarti, 24, Kasturi Ranga Iyengar Road, Madras - 18. The book is printed at Bharati Vijayam Press, Triplicane, Madras - 600 005 in the year 1974.
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Significance of Kaishika Ekadasi
In our Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya every Ekadasi (the 11th day of bright & black fortnight) has a special name. Accordingly during the Krittika month, the Ekadasi during the bright fortnight is called Kaishika Ekadasi. Learn about the significance of this Ekadasi day and listen to the story of Nambaduvan. This year Kaishika Ekadasi falls on the 28th of November, 2009.
Sri:
Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:
Srimad Varvara Munaye Namah
Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:
Srimad Varvara Munaye Namah
Significance of Kaishika Ekadasi
By Sri U.Ve. Mahavidhwan Elayavilli Srinivasa Bhuvarahachariar Swami
M.A (Retd) Prof of Sanskrit, Alwar Thirunagari
M.A (Retd) Prof of Sanskrit, Alwar Thirunagari
(This year Kaishika Ekadasi falls on the 28th of November, 2009)
In our Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya every Ekadasi (the 11th day of bright & black fortnight) has a special name. Accordingly during the Krittika month, the Ekadasi during the bright fortnight is called Kaishika Ekadasi (today some use the term Koushika Ekadasi, which is wrong; Sage Vishwamitra has nothing to do with this Ekadasi). Kaishika is a raga in music. How is this raga related with this Ekadasi will become clear in the course of this article! Sri Varaha Puranam has this episode in its body. Once upon a time the earth got submerged in water. Lord Sriman Narayana assumed the garb of a wild boar and without hesitation entered the muddy water and brought out the earth from the deluge. Sri Bhoomi Piratti, who is the presiding deity, was very much upset by this tragic event. She was consoled and comforted by Lord Sriman Narayana, keeping Her on His lap. At that time she was very much worried about Her children on the earth. Their sufferings gave Her great sorrow and she desired to know a means (Upaya) for their deliverance from the worldly bondage. The Lord narrated the episode that took place in the village Thirukkurungudi near Thirunelveli in South India and assured Her that the sole means of salvation is singing His glory (Gana Rupa Upayam).
The story is as follows: Once there lived a man at Thirukkurungudi. He was fondly called Nampaduvan” (We do not know his Original name). He was born in a Chandala family who were known for their merciless nature and activities. But quite contrary to his family behavior he was very pious and deeply devoted to Lord Sriman Narayana. He used to fast during every Ekadasi day. Getting up very early in the morning on the next day he used to go to the vicinity of the temple with his veena in his hands and remaining at a distance from the temple as per the prescription of the shastras he used to sing songs in praise of the Lord going around the temple.
Once during the month of Krittika on a bright fortnight Dwadasi i.e the 12th day, he went to the temple early in the morning as usual. On the way he was met by a Brahma Rakshasa who was very hungry and who therefore expressed his desire to eat him up. Nampaduvan was very happy to offer his body for the food of Brahma Rakshasa. That was because his suffering in this world would come to an end and he would reach the abode of the Lord. But he prayed to the Brahma Rakshasa to spare some time so that he may go to the temple and sing the songs and return. But the Rakshasa was not ready to grant his request, as he would never return having made this false excuse. But Nampaduvan made 18 oaths to the effect that he would certainly return.
- If I do not return as per my promise let me get the sin of a man who is a liar.
- Let me get the sin of a person who commits adultery, if I don’t return.
- While eating in the company of a person if a man differentiates in menu (i.e. serving inferior or less quantity of food to the guest), he gets a great sin (Papam). Let me get that sin, if I don’t return.
- If a man donates a piece of an earth to a Brahmin and takes it back after some time he will certainly accrue sin. Let me get that sin, if I don’t return.
- If a man enjoys the company of a woman during her youthful age and subsequently rejects her when she becomes old he is sure to get sin. Let me get that sin, if I don’t return.
- Having performed ablution rite (Tharpanam) on Amavasya day and then recourse (physical relationship) to his wife the same day, he will entertain great sin. Let me get that sin, if I don’t return.
- Having dined delicious dishes in the house of a host and then if a person showers heaps of abuse on his host, he is sure to meet with great sin. Let me get that sin, if I don’t return.
- A man makes a solemn promise that he would give away his young daughter in marriage to a youth but later on breaks his promise, which would entertain sin. Let me get that sin, if I don’t return.
- A man is prohibited from eating without taking bath on Shashti (the sixth day of both fortnight), Ashtami (the eighth day), Chaturdashi (the fourteenth day) and Amavasya (the fifteenth day of bright fortnight). Let me get that sin, if I don’t return.
- A man promises to donate something to another man but he doesn’t keep up his promise. Let me get the sin of breach of promise if I fail to come back.
- If a person tries to allure the wife of a friend who has helped him in manifold ways, he is sure of reaching hell. I will get that sin, if I fail to return.
- If a person, afflicted by lust, enjoys the company of his revered teacher’s wife who is responsible for his salvation; and so also the company of the wife of a king who endows all worldly pleasure to him - he will be the worst sinner. I will suffer that sin by not keeping up my promise.
- A man marries two girls without being impartial to both of them. If he evinces greater pleasure in the company of one rejecting the other, he is sure to accrue very great sin. Let me get that sin, if I don’t keep up my promise.
- If a man divorces his wife who is very chaste and has no one to care for her, he will become a sinner. Let me be equated to him for not returning.
- If a man causes obstruction to the cattle that are afflicted very much by thirst to drink water, he will get a sin. Let me also get that sin by breaking your faith in me.
- Killing a Brahmin, addiction to liquor, stealing gold, breaking a vow are considered to be heinous crimes. Severe punishments are prescribed for a sinner, who commits all these crimes. Let me suffer all these punishments in case I fail to get back to you.
- If some people worship only other deities and not Sri Vasudeva who is easily accessible to His votaries and is Omnipresent, they will get a great sin. Let me get that sin, if I do not return.
- Sriman Narayana is the supreme deity. He is the inner soul for all created beings, both sentient and insentient. He is worshipped by all karmas (i.e. by all holy rites prescribed by the Shastras). He is to be meditated by all who are desirous of liberation. He alone has the ability to grant salvation. He is to be reached by all the liberated souls. Having understood the supreme qualities of the Lord, if a man equates Him to all other angels who are bound by karma, He will be born in this world again and again. Let me get that sin by breach of this promise.
All these promises did not convince or satisfy the Brahma Rakshasa, but the 18th one totally convinced him about the certainty of Nampaduvan’s return. We therefore have to understand that the last sin is the greatest sin of all sins. Hence it is to be meticulously avoided.
The Brahma Rakshas became pleased by all these promises and saluted Nampaduvan and bade him farewell so that he may fulfill his vow and come back to him.
Accordingly Nampaduvan went to the neighborhood of the temple and sang the songs as usual. Afterwards the day dawned. Having completed the vow pertaining to Ekadasi (i.e. spending sleepless night) Nampaduvan surrendered to the Lord. With great speed, he returned to the Rakshas as his heart was filled up with pleasure owing to his desertion of his body, which was inimical to his attaining salvation.
On his way a person met him. That man questioned him “Hello, where are you going with such speed?” Nampaduvan replied him in a sweet manner – “I am going to Brahma Rakshas. If I don’t find him where I met him before, and departed having made several promises, I will go in search of him and offer my body as food for him.”
That man desired to test his mind on hearing his steadfast resolve. He said "There stands a Rakshasa by birth. He is not righteous minded like Vibeeshana, but a worst criminal. You cannot escape from his cruel clutches, as he is a cannibal. Don’t go to that strong devil." Though exhorted by that man, Nampaduvan refused to listen to him and was very adamant in keeping up his promise. That stranger, who obstructed him and advised him, was none other than Sri Varaha (the Lord Himself). Nampaduvan found Brahma Rakshas at the same place and offered his body as a carcass (meat) for him, but the Rakshas, remembering his previous birth did not accept it. He narrated his previous life history. He was a Brahmin by name Somasarma in his former birth. While performing a sacrifice, he committed all sorts of blunder, as he was niggardly. Moreover a fatal disease in the course of performing sacrifice afflicted him. The result was his birth as Brahma Rakshasa.
Having given a detailed account of his previous life the Rakshasa knelt before Nampaduvan to grant him the merit of all these songs that he sang in praise of the Lord for a long time but the songster refused sternly. Finally being moved by pity he granted him the merit (Punya) of one song, which he sang that day morning which was in the raga named “Kaishika”. The Brahma Rakshas was relieved of his bond. Later he was born in a family of Vaishnava and at the end of the birth he reached Vaikunta.
This is the story narrated by Sri Varaha Perumal to Sri Bhoomi Devi. The whole episode as found in “Sri Varaha Puranam”, is taken up by Sri Parasara Bhattar for an elaborate commentary in Tamil. Every year the whole episode with all Sanskrit shlokas and commentary of Sri Bhattar is read out in all the Vishnu temples especially at Thirukkurungudi where the event actually took place. This is enacted on the stage even today. Those who take part in the festival or who hear the episode will be rid of their sins. Hence I gave this story in an abridged version.
What do we understand from this episode? Somasarma though a Brahmin became a Rakshasa, but Nampaduvan though a Chandala was able to expiate him of all his sins. Hence caste is not a criterion for us to salute a person. His deep devotion to the Lord, knowledge of the Lord and a total renunciation of all worldly pleasures are very important criteria. The caste is physical. It does not belong to the soul. Hence Nampaduvan was elevated to the highest order. In case of such holy men of that high order, consideration of the caste is an offence. They are equal to Nithyasooris. Hence our Acharyas equate Nampaduvan with Vishwamitra, Sri Vishnuchitta and ThondarAdiPodi Azhwar, all of whom sang divine songs in order to wake up the Lord (Thiruppalliyezhuchchi). The Lord (Sri Varaha) also showered on him love and affection and called him Nampaduvan (My Singer). Let us therefore be very careful in not committing Bhaagavata Apachara. This is what we learn from Kaishika Puranam.
Listen to Sri.U.Ve. M.A.Venkata Krishnan Swami reciting Kaishika Mahatmyam {audio}media/KaisikaEkadasi/KaisikaPuranam.mp3{/audio}
Listen to a upanyasam by Sri.U.Ve. P.T. Seshadri Swami on Kaishika Mahatmyam {audio}media/KaisikaEkadasi/KaisikaMahathmyamAndVarahaCharamaSlokam.mp3{/audio}
Azhvar Emberumanar Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Sharanam
Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Sharanam
Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Sharanam