Courtesy:Sri.K.Muralidharan Iyengar
Dear All,
Greetings and Namaste. In the rush to send out this stotra on the eve of Sri. Rama Navami, I goofed up on a couple of counts:
1. Language version extensions for various languages were done incorrectly - resulting in a mix up of an old stotra I shared (and used as a template for this). I am attaching the right ones herewith.
2. Due to the same mistake of taking old template, I forgot to change the source of this stotra. It is erroneously showing as Brahma Puranam - it should be Padma Puranam, Uttara Khanda.
As this stotra is very precious and can be chanted any time, I am resending the correct ones for your daily use. I sincerely apologize for the goof-up.
Dear All,
Greetings and Namaste. At the outset, I have no choice but to apologize for not being able to post as frequently as before due to professional preoccupation. I am endeavoring my best not to miss very important religious occasions, though it is a bit rush. Hopefully, I will be able to spend more time on my personal yearnings in the days to come.
As tomorrow (Sun, 25/Mar/2018) is Sri Rama Navami, I am indeed delighted to share a short and wonderful prayer on Lord Rama (and also Goddess Sita (in the form of divine couple) by Lord Mahadeva. This taken from Brahma Puranam, Uttara Khandam and Chapter 243.
The splendid Phalashruti given by Lord Rama speaks enormously about the sanctity of this hymn - in short, Lord Rama declares that one who chants this hymn will get the benefit of performing all Yajnas and bathing in all holy rivers multiplied by crore times. He also mentions that one who chants this for 6 months will get all the rightful desires fulfilled and chanting this prior to starting any deed will remove all obstacles.
In this prayer, Lord Shiva prays to Lord Rama/Sita as the root and quintessence of this universe and they themselves appear as various forms - e.g. forms such as Shiva, Brahma, Kubera, Rudra, Chandra, Surya, Mahakala are indeed Lord Rama and forms such as Lakshmi, Gauri, Savitri, Rudrani, Ratri, Mahakali, etc. are none but Goddess Sita.
For the readers, this theme of non-duality of deity forms will not be new - as this has been consistent theme across all Puranas. Lunatics are those who cling to their unsubstantiated and non-prescribed differentiation among the trinity. It has been pellucidly corroborated in the scriptures that one who differentiates the trinity is the right candidate for the goriest of all hells.
Sri Bhagavannama Bodhendra Sarasvati was the 59th Peetadhipati of Sri Kanchi Mutt and is known for his Rama Nama Upasana. His Adhisthanam is in Govindapuram near Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu. Many people have experienced the sound of Rama Nama japa emanating from His Adhishtanam although attained Mahasamadhi in 1692. Though he authored many works, His magnum opus is Bhagavan Namamruta Rasodayam. In the first chapter (called First Ullasa), Sri. Bodhendra Swamigal splendidly elucidates the non-dualty Shiva and Vishnu:
sadAnanad shrImAn anupadhika kAruNya vivasho jagat xemAya shrihari girisha rUpaM vidhRRitavAn |
aparyAptaM rUpaM jagadavanaye tatpunariti prabhurjAgarti shrIhari girisha nAmAtmakatayA ||
Meaning : The Saccidananda Parabrahman took the form of Shiva and Vishnu for the welfare of the universe. The same Parabrahman takes the forms of Shiva and Vishnu Nama as Roopa alone is not sufficient to protect the universe.
sarvasya lokasya sadA suguputyai nAmAtmako bhAti harIshayor yaH |
dayA sudhAbdhi lalitAtmako me rAmaH sadA vaktra saroruhe a.stu ||
Meaning : May Rama, who protects the universe in the Namas of Shiva and Vishnu, reside in my mouth (lotus) eternally.
As Lord Shiva corroborates in Vishnu Sahasranama, there is nothing beyond the name Rama. I would like to conclude with an episode in the life of Sri Bodhendra Swamigal which corroborates this beyond doubt.
Once a Brahmin from the south travelled to the North on pilgrimage with his beautiful wife. In a village where he was resting, his wife was taken away by the Muslim ruler when he was asleep. As none came to his help, he somehow reconciled with this calamity and continued with his pilgrimage. He returned to the same place after finishing his pilgrimage to Kashi. While he was doing his Anushtanam, a lady who looked like a Muslim came to him and started crying. She was his wife but was in Islamic attire and she narrated her story of being made a sexual slave and begged him to release her from the bondage even if he can't take her back as his wife. The Brahmin took pity on her and told her that what happened to her was against her wishes and therefore she is blemishless and promised to enquire with the erudite scholars whether any Prayaschitta can be done so that he can take her back as his wife. When he enquired the local people for an erudite scholar on Shastras nearby, they pointed him to one Sri. Jagannatha Kavi near Puri.
The couple reached Sri Jagannatha Kavi's place around mindnight. They woke him up and explained their predicament. Sri Jagannatha Kavi gave a solution to their plight immediately - he asked her to chant "Rama Rama Rama" (thrice) and asked her husband to treat her as his wife as chanting the Rama Nama thrice had dissolved all the sins. Jagannatha Kavi's mother came out and asked him why he was asking her to chant thrice when chanting once itself is sufficient to wash away all the sins.
When this was happening Sri Bodhendra Swamigal was sleeping in the verandah of Jegannatha Kavi's house as he was passing by the place and woke up and asked Jagannatha Kavi whether there is any proof (any book) that prescribed what he suggested to Brahmin's wife. Jagannatha Kavi replied that he has a book titled "Bhagavan Nama Kaumudi".
Bodhendra Swamigal was aware of the plight the reunited couple might face in the society in spite of the shastra prescriptions and therefore he wanted to prove that Rama Nama absolves one of all sins. He asked them to come to the tank of Puri Jagannath temple next day. By the time they assembled there the following day, the news spread like wildfire and huge crowd came to the tank to see what was going to happen. Sri Bodhendra Swamigal asked the lady to bathe in the tank by chanting Rama nama, When she immersed herself and stood, she appeared with turmeric and Kumkum on her head along with a holy attire. Sri Bodhendra Swamigal further reinforced this by asking her to cook for Him that day and did Biksha on what she cooked!
Such is the Rama Nama Mahima!. Let us all pray to Lord Rama on this holy day!
(I have included Gujarati transliteration as there have been a few requests for Gujarati version).
English
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