Enlightening 8
Enlightening 8
Posted by: "Mrs Geetha Vasudevan" vasugee191193@yahoo.com vasugee191193
Tue Jun 28, 2011 10:54 pm (PDT)
Sreemathey Ramanujaya Namaha
Respected Bhagavatha Bandhus,
In the number series of articles, we have seen 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 this article is regarding the No 8
No 8 appears to occupy a significant place in our scriptures, and a very pious and sacred number
as far as Sri Vaishnavas are concerned.
The following reveals its glories.
1)Very Firstly the mere mention of No 8, brings to the
mind of Sri Vaishnavas the 8 lettered mantra or
the Ashtakshari mantra "Om Namo Narayanaya"
through which Lord Sriman Narayana is
worshipped, It is the first among the
Rahasya Thrayam that a mumukshu has to
know.
2)Swami Ramanuja out of mercy
towards the jeevakoti, gave us the
significance of Thirumanthram/ashtakshari
manthra/8 lettered mantram from Thirukotiyoor
temple tower
3)Krishna Avatharam is the
8th incarnation of the Dasavatharams of the
lord and he was born as the 8th
child to Devaki and on 8th day (ashtami) of
Krishna Paksha of Aavani month with Rohini
Nakshatra in
ascendant
4)Srimad
Bhagavtham's 8th skandham. 8th adhyayam and 8th
verse speaks of the emergence of godess
Mahalakshmi (Sri:)when churning the ocean
by asuras and devas & the same adhyayam
mentions appearance of Danvantri an incarnation
of Maha Vishnu, he appeared to propound
the science of Ayurvedic Medicine to cure the
diseases.
5)
"Srirangam
Venkatadrischa SrimushNam Totaparvatam
Salagramam
Pushkaramcha NaranarayaNAshramam
Naimisham
Cheti ME SthananyasoU Mukthi
PradhAnivai
YetusvashtAksharaIkAka:
VarNamUrthir VasAmyaham
TishtAmi
KrishNa KshEtrE puNya SapthakOgatha:
AshtAksharasya
Mantrasya SarvAkshara Maya SadA"
These
verses point out 8 swayam vyaktha kshetras.
The
Lord as
the Archa Murthy at each of these Kshetrams
signifies one Aksharam of his Ashtakshara
Mantram.
1)Sri
Rangam
----
Sri Ranganatha Perumal
2)Venkatadri
---- Sri Venkateshwara
Perumal
3)Sri
Mushnam
---- Sri
Buvaraha Perumal
4)Totaparvatam
---- Sri
Vanamamalai Perumal
5)Salagramam
---- Sri Chakrapani
Perumal
6)Pushkaram
---- Sri
Vishnu
7)Naranarayanashramam
---- Sri Badri Naryana Perumal
8)Naimisham
---- Sri
Chakranaryana Perumal
6)As
known 8/Ashta vasuus according to Mahabarath are
1)Anala
2)Anila
3)Soma
4)Ahas
5)Dhara
6)Dhruva
7)Pratyoosha
8)Prabhasaa
7)
Again 8/Astha Dikpalaakas (guardians of 8
directions)
1)Soma
2)Agni
3)Arka
4)Anila
5)Indra
6)Kubera
7)Varuna
8)Yama
Manu
smriti states that a King must be an abstract
quality of these 8
deities
8)Ashtabuyagaram is a divya desam
found in Kanchi. The Adi Kesava
Perumal in this sthalam is seen with 8
hands, He
holds Chakaram, Sword, a Flower and an Arrow in
the 4 right hands and Sangu, Bow, Kedayam and
Gadha in the 4 left
hands.
Lord Vishnu took 8 weapons in his 8 hands to
fight the
demons intruding the yagna conducted by Lord
Brahma. Hence, he got the name Ashtabujakaram
(Ashta=†Eight†; karam=†hand†). The Lord
also is known as "Gajendra Varadar" as he
rescued the elephant Gajendra in this
place and this incident termed as
"Gajendra Moksham" was taken place here.
It is worthy to note that this legend has
also been spoken in 8th skandam of Srimad
Bhagavatham.
9)In
our Acharya Guruparampara Haaram, Alavandhar or
Yamuna Muni occupies the 8th place, it is also
significant to note that he was the one who
identified Swami Ramanujar as Bahvishyat
Acharyan for Darsana Nirhavam, through his
words "Aa Ivan Mudhalvan"
10)Swami
Alavandhar's works are also 8 in number they
are
1)Chattusloki
2)Stotra
Ratnam
3)Sidditryam (which includes
Atma siddhi,Samvith siddhi & Eswara
siddhi)
4)Aagma
Pramanya
5)Maha Purusha
Nirnayam
6)Gitartha
Sangraha
7)Nityam
8)Maaya Vaadha
Kandanam
11)Manavala
Mamunigal had many disciples, but the following
8 were the chief disciples knows as
Ashtadiggajas they were
1)Vanamaamalai
Jeeyar
2)Bhattar Piran
Jeeyar
3)Thiruvengada Jeeyar
4)Koil
Kanthaadai Annan
5)Prathivadi Bhayangram
Anna
6)Erumbi
appa
7)Appillai
8)Apullar
12)Swamy
Mamunigal wrote commentaries on the works of
earlier acharyas, these are called "Vyakyana
Granthams", these are 8 in number
1)Sri
Vachana
Booshanam
2)Mumukshupudi
3)Tattvathryam
4)Acharya
Hrudayam
5)Jnana Saaram
6)Prameya
Saaram
7)Periyalwar Thirumozhi
8)Ramanuja
Nootriandadhi
13)Again Mamunigal's own
granthams/independent works in Sanskrit &
Tamil are also 8 in number
1)Upadesa
Ratinamala
2)ThiruvAimozhi
NooRRanthAdhi
3)Iyal
ChaatRRu
4)
ThiruvArAdhana Kramam
5)
YathirAja Vimsathi
6)DevarAja
MangaLam
7)Sri
Kanchi DevapperumAL SthOthram
8)Aaarthi
Prabhandham
14)The
story of ‘Vedu Pari' is enacted every year as
part of the 8th day celebrations of the 10 day
Era Pathu festival. called
‘Thiruvoimozhi Thirunaal' in Sri
Rangam.
15)Among
these 40 Divyadesams in Chozha Naadu, the
perumal is said to be giving his seva in the
perumal in Krishnavathaaram in 8
Divyadesams
16)There are 8 different
kinds of flowers that please our Lord Vishnu the
most. according to "Prapanna
Paarijataa"
ahimsa prathamam
pushpam
pushpam
indriya-nigraha:
sarva-bhuta-daya pushpam
kshama puhpam viseshata:
jnanam pushpam
tapa: pushpam
dhyanam pushpam tathaiva
cha
satyam ashtavidam
pushpam
vishno
1)Ahimsa
Prathamam Pushpham (Non-Violence is the 1st
flower)
2)Pushpam Indirya Nigraham (Control
of senes in the next)
3)Sarvabhuta Daya
Pushpam (Compassion towards all)
4)Kshama
Pushpam Visheshathaha
(patience/tolerance)
5)Jnanam Pushpam (Right
knowledge is another flower)
6)Tapa Pushpam
(Penance is another flower)
7)Shanti Pushphm
Thathaiva cha (Inner peace)
8)Satyam
Ashtavidam Pushphoo (Truth/satyam)
Vishnoo
Preetikaram Bhavaet (these 8 flowers are very
dearer to our Lord)
Not only these
flowers are dearer to our lord, but also, as Sri
Vasihnavas we are also expected to be bloomed
with these qualities of
flowers.
17)WhenThirumangai Alwar
received Astakshara Bramhopadesam directly from
Sriman Narayana himself expresses his
gratefulness to the lord for blessing him,
in the 8th stanza/pasuram of the 1st
Padhigm of Periya Thirumozhi alwar assures
to us if he could accquire the maha mantra even
if he was not worthy of it, then people like us
also would no doubt be blessed with such
boon/anugraham, alwar here expresses the kripai
emperumaan has for the jeevas.
Thus, let
us conclude by reciting these verses "Vedas
Shastram Param Naasti, Na Daivam Kesavat
Param" which means "It is said, there is
no science (to be learned) superior to Vedas,
nor (anyone) superior to
Kesavan
Adiyen
Ramanuja Dasan
Geetha
Vasudevan
Posted by: "Mrs Geetha Vasudevan" vasugee191193@yahoo.com vasugee191193
Tue Jun 28, 2011 10:54 pm (PDT)
Sreemathey Ramanujaya Namaha
Respected Bhagavatha Bandhus,
In the number series of articles, we have seen 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 this article is regarding the No 8
No 8 appears to occupy a significant place in our scriptures, and a very pious and sacred number
as far as Sri Vaishnavas are concerned.
The following reveals its glories.
1)Very Firstly the mere mention of No 8, brings to the
mind of Sri Vaishnavas the 8 lettered mantra or
the Ashtakshari mantra "Om Namo Narayanaya"
through which Lord Sriman Narayana is
worshipped, It is the first among the
Rahasya Thrayam that a mumukshu has to
know.
2)Swami Ramanuja out of mercy
towards the jeevakoti, gave us the
significance of Thirumanthram/ashtakshari
manthra/8 lettered mantram from Thirukotiyoor
temple tower
3)Krishna Avatharam is the
8th incarnation of the Dasavatharams of the
lord and he was born as the 8th
child to Devaki and on 8th day (ashtami) of
Krishna Paksha of Aavani month with Rohini
Nakshatra in
ascendant
4)Srimad
Bhagavtham's 8th skandham. 8th adhyayam and 8th
verse speaks of the emergence of godess
Mahalakshmi (Sri:)when churning the ocean
by asuras and devas & the same adhyayam
mentions appearance of Danvantri an incarnation
of Maha Vishnu, he appeared to propound
the science of Ayurvedic Medicine to cure the
diseases.
5)
"Srirangam
Venkatadrischa SrimushNam Totaparvatam
Salagramam
Pushkaramcha NaranarayaNAshramam
Naimisham
Cheti ME SthananyasoU Mukthi
PradhAnivai
YetusvashtAksharaIkAka:
VarNamUrthir VasAmyaham
TishtAmi
KrishNa KshEtrE puNya SapthakOgatha:
AshtAksharasya
Mantrasya SarvAkshara Maya SadA"
These
verses point out 8 swayam vyaktha kshetras.
The
Lord as
the Archa Murthy at each of these Kshetrams
signifies one Aksharam of his Ashtakshara
Mantram.
1)Sri
Rangam
----
Sri Ranganatha Perumal
2)Venkatadri
---- Sri Venkateshwara
Perumal
3)Sri
Mushnam
---- Sri
Buvaraha Perumal
4)Totaparvatam
---- Sri
Vanamamalai Perumal
5)Salagramam
---- Sri Chakrapani
Perumal
6)Pushkaram
---- Sri
Vishnu
7)Naranarayanashramam
---- Sri Badri Naryana Perumal
8)Naimisham
---- Sri
Chakranaryana Perumal
6)As
known 8/Ashta vasuus according to Mahabarath are
1)Anala
2)Anila
3)Soma
4)Ahas
5)Dhara
6)Dhruva
7)Pratyoosha
8)Prabhasaa
7)
Again 8/Astha Dikpalaakas (guardians of 8
directions)
1)Soma
2)Agni
3)Arka
4)Anila
5)Indra
6)Kubera
7)Varuna
8)Yama
Manu
smriti states that a King must be an abstract
quality of these 8
deities
8)Ashtabuyagaram is a divya desam
found in Kanchi. The Adi Kesava
Perumal in this sthalam is seen with 8
hands, He
holds Chakaram, Sword, a Flower and an Arrow in
the 4 right hands and Sangu, Bow, Kedayam and
Gadha in the 4 left
hands.
Lord Vishnu took 8 weapons in his 8 hands to
fight the
demons intruding the yagna conducted by Lord
Brahma. Hence, he got the name Ashtabujakaram
(Ashta=†Eight†; karam=†hand†). The Lord
also is known as "Gajendra Varadar" as he
rescued the elephant Gajendra in this
place and this incident termed as
"Gajendra Moksham" was taken place here.
It is worthy to note that this legend has
also been spoken in 8th skandam of Srimad
Bhagavatham.
9)In
our Acharya Guruparampara Haaram, Alavandhar or
Yamuna Muni occupies the 8th place, it is also
significant to note that he was the one who
identified Swami Ramanujar as Bahvishyat
Acharyan for Darsana Nirhavam, through his
words "Aa Ivan Mudhalvan"
10)Swami
Alavandhar's works are also 8 in number they
are
1)Chattusloki
2)Stotra
Ratnam
3)Sidditryam (which includes
Atma siddhi,Samvith siddhi & Eswara
siddhi)
4)Aagma
Pramanya
5)Maha Purusha
Nirnayam
6)Gitartha
Sangraha
7)Nityam
8)Maaya Vaadha
Kandanam
11)Manavala
Mamunigal had many disciples, but the following
8 were the chief disciples knows as
Ashtadiggajas they were
1)Vanamaamalai
Jeeyar
2)Bhattar Piran
Jeeyar
3)Thiruvengada Jeeyar
4)Koil
Kanthaadai Annan
5)Prathivadi Bhayangram
Anna
6)Erumbi
appa
7)Appillai
8)Apullar
12)Swamy
Mamunigal wrote commentaries on the works of
earlier acharyas, these are called "Vyakyana
Granthams", these are 8 in number
1)Sri
Vachana
Booshanam
2)Mumukshupudi
3)Tattvathryam
4)Acharya
Hrudayam
5)Jnana Saaram
6)Prameya
Saaram
7)Periyalwar Thirumozhi
8)Ramanuja
Nootriandadhi
13)Again Mamunigal's own
granthams/independent works in Sanskrit &
Tamil are also 8 in number
1)Upadesa
Ratinamala
2)ThiruvAimozhi
NooRRanthAdhi
3)Iyal
ChaatRRu
4)
ThiruvArAdhana Kramam
5)
YathirAja Vimsathi
6)DevarAja
MangaLam
7)Sri
Kanchi DevapperumAL SthOthram
8)Aaarthi
Prabhandham
14)The
story of ‘Vedu Pari' is enacted every year as
part of the 8th day celebrations of the 10 day
Era Pathu festival. called
‘Thiruvoimozhi Thirunaal' in Sri
Rangam.
15)Among
these 40 Divyadesams in Chozha Naadu, the
perumal is said to be giving his seva in the
perumal in Krishnavathaaram in 8
Divyadesams
16)There are 8 different
kinds of flowers that please our Lord Vishnu the
most. according to "Prapanna
Paarijataa"
ahimsa prathamam
pushpam
pushpam
indriya-nigraha:
sarva-bhuta-daya pushpam
kshama puhpam viseshata:
jnanam pushpam
tapa: pushpam
dhyanam pushpam tathaiva
cha
satyam ashtavidam
pushpam
vishno
1)Ahimsa
Prathamam Pushpham (Non-Violence is the 1st
flower)
2)Pushpam Indirya Nigraham (Control
of senes in the next)
3)Sarvabhuta Daya
Pushpam (Compassion towards all)
4)Kshama
Pushpam Visheshathaha
(patience/tolerance)
5)Jnanam Pushpam (Right
knowledge is another flower)
6)Tapa Pushpam
(Penance is another flower)
7)Shanti Pushphm
Thathaiva cha (Inner peace)
8)Satyam
Ashtavidam Pushphoo (Truth/satyam)
Vishnoo
Preetikaram Bhavaet (these 8 flowers are very
dearer to our Lord)
Not only these
flowers are dearer to our lord, but also, as Sri
Vasihnavas we are also expected to be bloomed
with these qualities of
flowers.
17)WhenThirumangai Alwar
received Astakshara Bramhopadesam directly from
Sriman Narayana himself expresses his
gratefulness to the lord for blessing him,
in the 8th stanza/pasuram of the 1st
Padhigm of Periya Thirumozhi alwar assures
to us if he could accquire the maha mantra even
if he was not worthy of it, then people like us
also would no doubt be blessed with such
boon/anugraham, alwar here expresses the kripai
emperumaan has for the jeevas.
Thus, let
us conclude by reciting these verses "Vedas
Shastram Param Naasti, Na Daivam Kesavat
Param" which means "It is said, there is
no science (to be learned) superior to Vedas,
nor (anyone) superior to
Kesavan
Adiyen
Ramanuja Dasan
Geetha
Vasudevan
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