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July 01 Daily Prayer1) Release me from the never-ending chain of desires So I may live in peace with Absolute contentment 2) Free my mind from the darkness of lust And fill my soul with the light of divine Love 3) Let me not live to eat & indulge in the unreal outer shelf Eat but to live & realize my Real Inner Self 4) Let me not use words as missiles that injure Use them but gentle sparingly for comfort & cure 5) Let me not forget my brittle dwelling of glass So throw not I stones wherever I glance 6) Enlighten my mind with the knowledge of thee And releasing the weight that scholarship brings 7) Detach my SELF from the bondage of my ego So differentiated am I no more 8) Let good tidings of others forever bring joy unqualified And merge my soul with that of one & all 9) Inspire in me the sense of surrender at thy Lotus Feet So sorrow not I see, but your dance to stay on my feet 10) Let me not do any work for rewards & fame But let every act be dedicated to thy Name 11) Help me eliminate the chatter in my mind So I stay connected with thy Name on my mind 12) Help me to enrich & protect my subjective mind To filter & deflect the objective mind 13) Help me to rid the fear so I am ever fearless So I am true to Your Will & nature as a free Will 14) When you finally Grace me to thy shore EgoismEvery one of you might be aware of what ego means. Nevertheless this
humble self dares to share his understanding on ego with the yahoo
group members. Before going into the nuts and bolts of the term 'ego' I
would like to share with you some kinds of live egoistic tendencies in
day-to-day interactions. In India, when the milkman or newspaper
delivery boy comes late in the morning, we start shouting on them
pointing out the delay. A little later, if we are not greeted with a
cup of hot coffee or tea by our better halves, we find an occasion for
show of our ego. As the hour passes in the day, we have more and more
occasions to show our egoistic behaviour on various other individuals.
Let us ponder as to why we react in such a fashion? Because we have certain false or exaggerated estimate about our own selves and we expect others to live upto our own expectations. Show of anger or self-pride takes place with the servant-maid, subordinates at workplace, even with friends and relatives. We often hear statements like," so and so offended my sentiments,or I felt insulted, or he pricked my ego etc. etc. Even while participating in spiritual/ devotional activities , very often we find the play of ego. For eg., a professional musician or singer would not like to give chorus during a Bhajan session, when the bhajan is led by non-professional singers. In Govt. and other parlances,there are protocols to be observed by various subordinate officials. Even a minor slippage in the protocol would invite exhibition of ego by the boss. That is because there is expectation from the boss that his subordinate should show reverence, deference etc. etc. towards the boss. Since the subordinate did not come upto the expectation of the boss, the latter`s ego is pricked. Occasionally, when we make a genuine suggestion (may be uninvited) to somebody, be it one of our family member or friends, it is not liked by the person to whom the suggestion was made as evidenced by the reaction of that person. This is another example of egoistic behaviour. We can go on expanding on such examples. The root-cause for such a behaviour by individuals is their ego which is like an inflated balloon. June 28 Sages1.SAGE MAREECHI Sage Mareechi was the eldest of the seven manasaputras of Brahma. 1.1Marriage resembling to Srirama and his brothers Sage Marichi and his six brothers married the seven daughters of Sage Kardam and Devahuti in a similar way like Sree Rama for easy re-collection. Brahma instructed them for populating the earth. Devahuti was a princess. The marriage of Devahuti and Kardam was an ideal one. Devahuti first gave birth to nine daughters and then to Kapila, who was a manifestation of Vishnu. So sage Kapila was the brother â" in- law (Machinan) for all the saptharshies. It was Kala, Sage Kardam's daughter who was married to sage Marichi. They begot two children, a son Kashyapa and a daughter Purnima. Kashyapa was responsible for the procreation of several races including those of the Devas and Asuras. We will discuss about sage Kashyapa later. Purnima had two sons Viraja and Vishvaga and a daughter Devakulya. Today we know Devakulya as the River Ganga. 1.2 Brahma getting angry with Dharmavrata The sage Marichi had another wife Dharmavrata. One day, Marichi went to the forest to collect wood and flowers and returned extremely tired. He called Dharmavrata and said, "I am very tired. Today you must wash my feet for me." Dharmavrata began to wash Mareechiâs feet when Brahma suddenly arrived. Dharmavrata did not know what to do. Should she finish washing her husbandâs feet or should she first attend to Brahma, since Brahma was Mareechi's father? She decided to attend to Brahma first. At this, Marichi became very angry and cursed Dharmavrata that she would turn into a stone. Dharmavrata was greatly distressed at being cursed for what she though had not been a fault at all. So she performed tapasya for many years. When Vishnu and the other gods were pleased at Dharmavrataâs meditation, they appeared and offered to grant her a boon. Dharmavrata wished that the curse imposed on her by Marichi might be waived. The gods explained that this was impossible, since Marichi was a very powerful sage. What they would however, do was to make Dharmavrata a very holy stone desired even by the gods. The god promised to be always inside this stone. It was this stone that was placed on Gayasuraâs body. 2.SAGE KRATU It was Kriya, sage Kardam's daughter who was married to sage Kratu. The Vishnu Purana says that sage Kratu had another wife Samnati. Kratu had 60,000 sons called as Valikhilyas. They were no bigger than a joint of the thumb. 3.SAGE VAISTHA -an Annexure We had seen already Arundhati married sage Vasishta and produced seven sons who became great sages themselves. We have read about them in connection with Viswamithraâs Trisanku swargam, they cursed Trisanku to become chandala. The names of these sons born to Vasistha and Arundhathi were Chitraketu, Surochi, Viraja, Mitra, Ulbana, Vasubhridyana and Dyuman. Vasishta also had children from his other wife. Summary We have read the stories of the saptharshies of the first Manwanthara. Marichi was the eldest of saptharshies. Sage Kashyapa was his prominent son. His daughter later became Ganga Mareechiâs another wife Dharma vrata became a stone due to a curse and the stone was placed on Gayasura Vishnu permanently residing on it dignifying Dharmavrata. Sage Kratu had given birth to small beings, of the size of the thumb. Sage Kapila was the Machinan of all the saptharshies. Thirty simple pleasuresHere are 30 of the most satisfying simple pleasures life has to offer: 1. Sleeping In on a Rainy Day – As the rain beats lightly against the window, you nestle your head deeper into your pillow. The sound is soothing and your bed feels like a sanctuary. There is no place you would rather be. 2. Finding Money You Didn’t Know You Had – You reach into your pocket and find a $20 bill from the last time you wore these jeans. You aren’t rich, but you are richer than you were a second earlier. 3. Making Brief Eye Contact with Someone of the Opposite Sex – You pass her on the street or in the subway. She glances up at you momentarily, making direct eye contact in a way that seems to communicate a subtle curiosity. For a split second it makes you think… and then it’s gone. 4. Skinny Dipping – There is something mysteriously liberating about being naked in a body of water. You are naked, but it feels natural, a sense of unrefined freedom. 5. Receiving a Real Letter or Package via Snail Mail – E-mail has become the primary source of written communication. Most snail mail these days is junk mail. When you check the mail and find a real letter or package from someone you know, excitement overtakes you as you tear into this rare gift. 6. Making the Yellow Light - It’s one of the most common simple pleasures, the act of beating the pack. As you blaze through the yellow light you glance in your rearview to see all the cars behind you stopping at the red light. Yes! You made it! 7. Telling a Funny or Interesting, True Story - One of the most enticing roles you lead in life is that of the storyteller. You love to share stories, especially those that will captivate your audience with deep curiosity and humor. There are few things more satisfying than telling a true story that others enjoy listening to. 8. Seeing a Friend Stumble Over Himself – As you walk across the street with your friend, he fails to accurately address the curb on the other side. He trips and stumbles around momentarily before regaining his footing, then swiftly attempts to play it off like nothing happened. This can be a hilarious sight if the moment is right. 9. Hearing the Right Song at the Right Moment - It doesn’t matter what the setting is, hearing the right song for that moment is one of those simple pleasures in life that instantly lifts your spirits. You could be driving home from work, hanging out at a bar with friends, or jogging. When the right song rattles your ear drums the entire meaning of life seems crystal clear. 10. The First Sip of a Beverage When You’re Thirsty – You just finished mowing the lawn or taking a long jog. The only thing on your mind is an ice-cold glass of water. When you are really, really thirsty, that first sip of any liquid beverage is sheer bliss. 11. Catching a Glimpse of Bare Skin on the Opposite Sex – For guys, it’s when the waitress bends over a little too far. For girls it’s seeing that buff guy in a Speedo. Either way, when you see a bit more skin than you were expecting on the opposite sex, you can’t help but to smirk on the inside. 12. Saying the Same Thing Simultaneously – There is a moment of silence. Then all of the sudden you and your friend blurt out the same exact set of words simultaneously. This rare occurrence is something to smile about. 13. The Pull-Through Parking Spot – You pull into a parking spot and are delighted to see the availability of the parking spot immediately in front of you. You pull through to the spot in front so that when you return to the car you can drive forward out of the parking spot. Why? Because driving backwards is a pain in the butt. 14. Realizing You Have More Time to Sleep – Something abruptly awakens you and you think it’s time to get up. Then you squint over at your alarm clock and realize you still have 2 more hours to sleep. A warm euphoric feeling shoots though your body as you glide gracefully back to your dreams. 15. People Watching – Sitting there on your bench you can see people in every direction. Tall people, small people, thin and plump. Blond, brunette, and redhead alike. Each of them has a different stride and a unique expression. As you drift from body to body you are mesmerized by what you see. 16. Putting On Clothes Straight from the Dryer – As soon as the dryer buzzes, you pull out your clothes and put them on. They feel soothingly warm on your skin and emit a fresh-scented aroma into the air. A sentiment of ease comes over you as you head out to conquer the day. 17. A Familiar Smell – You just pulled into your parent’s driveway and opened the car door. You haven’t been home in a long while. You smell familiarity in the air, the scent of a large pine tree in the neighbor’s yard. As you head through the front door, more familiar smells consume your senses. Gosh, it feels good to be home… 18. The Feeling You Get When Your Idea Works – You have been struggling to resolve a complex problem all day and you just can’t seem to get it right. Filled with frustration, you decide to exercise one last idea before calling it a night. You’ve had many ideas before that failed miserably… but this time it works. 19. Fresh, Clean Bed Sheets – You yank at the corner of the bedspread to create just enough space to slide your body under the freshly cleaned sheets. The sheets feel cool to the touch. Everything seems so clean, like nobody has ever slept in this bed before. 20. A Beautiful View – As the car veers around the side of the mountain you gaze out the passenger window. It’s a clear, sunny day and you can see the entire valley below filled with wild flowers and bright green vegetation. The scenery reminds you of something you once saw in National Geographic. But here it is live, right before your eyes. 21. Reminiscing About Old Times with Your Closest Friends – Pink Floyd once said “the memories of a man in his old age are the deeds of a man in his prime”. There is no simple pleasure more satisfying than recounting the greatest moments of your life with your closest friends who lived these moments alongside you. 22. Receiving an Unexpected Compliment – It’s been an average day. Nothing really great has happened, but nothing terrible occurred either. This monotonous day has put you in a dreary mood. Unexpectedly, an older, attractive lady taps you on the shoulder, calls you “handsome” and says she loves your shirt. The day just got a whole lot better. 23. Having a Good Laugh – Laughter is the greatest cure of all. Life is extraordinary in the moments when you are laughing so hard you can barely breathe. These moments of deep laughter are divine in the sense that they cleanse your mood and set your mind on a positive track. 24. The Feeling After a Healthy Workout - It’s a giddy feeling of self accomplishment; the one true activity that actually makes you feel better and look better simultaneously. When you walk out the front door of the gym you are on top of the world. 25. The Celebration in the Instant Something Makes Sense – Even now that it has explained to you for the third time, you just don’t understand how it works. Everyone else seems to understand but you. Then out of the blue the dots connect in your mind. You finally get it, and it feels great! 26. Relaxing Outdoors on a Sunny Day – As you relax sprawled out in a lawn chair, the sun warms your skin and a light breeze keeps the temperature comfortable. Birds are chirping merrily in the trees behind you. You are at complete peace with the environment. 27. Holding Hands with Someone You Love – Every time she grabs your hand you are overcome with an awareness of how much she means to you. Holding hands is sensual and physically intimate, yet subtle. There are few people you allow to hold your hand, so when it happens you can be sure that the moment is special. 28. Playing in the Water – Water marvels people of all ages. From jumping in puddles as a child, to doing cannon balls in the pool as an adolescent, to enjoying a cocktail in the Jacuzzi as an adult… water is enjoyable. 29. Making Someone Smile – You notice that your colleague has been under a great deal of stress with meeting a deadline, so you take it upon yourself to complete one of her indirect responsibilities for her. As soon as she realizes what you did, she comes into your office with a big smile on her face. “Thank you”, she says. You just hit two birds with one stone, because making her smile just made your day. 30. Finishing What You Started – You just finished up a big project you’ve been working on for the last few months, or maybe you just finished your first marathon… Either way, you finalized what you set out to accomplish. The feeling of self accomplishment you get when you finish what you started is by far one of the most rewarding simple pleasures life has to offer. (What Deepa has done} A comprehensive list of life’s simple pleasures would be quite extensive. My list represents those which are most satisfying to a sample of people in and around my life. With a few sporadic exceptions, I believe these simple pleasures hold universal appeal VyasaLord Ganesha Assists Vyasa Vyasa was an eyewitness to the happenings in the Dwapara Yuga. He saw the rise of quite a number of powerful kings and dynasties. Rishis could live for hundreds of years by the power of 'tapas' and 'yoga'. They could conquer old age and death if they so willed. Vyasa was one such rishi. It is believed that he is still living in Badari. It was Vyasa himself who gave the story of Mahabharata to mankind. Many years after the Mahabharata War, one day Lord Brahma came to Badarikashrama. Vyasa received him with due regard. Then Vyasa said, "What brings you all the way to my hermitage?" "You have witnessed the Mahabharata War, You knew of everything that happened. It will be an excellent thing if you write the story of the Mahabharata. " Sage Vyasa need somebody who can take down the story and accordingly Brahama arranged Lord Ganesha. Ganesha was a boy then. Lord Ganesha put forth a condition "My Lord, you should not stop the narration at any point, the story must flow without pause. I shall write it down as Smoothly as one gulps down a cup of water. If you stop at any point, I will give up my job and go away" - Lord Ganesha spoke quietly. Vyasa nodded his head in admiration. He said "Yes, I accept your conditions. But you should understand every word before you set it down." Lord Vinayaka cheerfully accepted the challenge. Thus began the composition of the story of Mahabharata. Vyasa went on dictating; Lord Ganesha took down faithfully. Even before Vyasa completed a stanza, Ganesha would finish writing it. He would hustle Vyasa to go on with it. The Mahabharata story is called the Fifth Veda. It is also known as Jaya. The Bhagavad-Gita, which is, honored all over the world as a book of wisdom forms a part of the Mahabharata. Thus sage Vyasa has left a rich legacy of knowledge to our country. Vyasa completed the Maha Bharatham in 60 lakhs granthams. This comprises the Kandapuranam, Ramayanam, Savithri Puranam, Nala Puranam and so on. Lord Ganesha wrote them on Mount Meru using his tusk. Of these 60 lakh granthams, 30 lakhs are supposed to be in the Deva Lokam, 15 lakhs in Yaksha Lokam and 14 lakhs in Asura Lokam. Only the remaining 1 lakh granthams are assumed to be on the earth. 1.17 Vyasarahasyam Sage Vyasa is supposed to have sung 8,800 granthams, which were difficult for Ganesha to decipher. He has stated himself this to Lord Ganesha, Sage Vyasa and his son sage Sugan are probably the only ones who know the meaning of those 8,800 granthams. Whenever Ganesha hustled him, he hurled a difficult stanza at him. By the time the child-god understood it and wrote it down, Vyasa would be ready with the next stanza. The stanzas over which Ganesha had to pause have come to be called Vyasa Rahasya. 1.18 Mahabharata story become Public King Janamejaya was ruling over Hastinavati at the time. He was Arjuna's great-grandson. He learnt that Vyasa had witnessed the Mahabharata War. He was eager to hear the story of his mighty ancestors from him. He consulted his ministers and decided to perform a great 'yaga'. No 'rishi' would ever refuse to attend a 'yaga'. Janamejaya sent his chief priest to invite Vyasa. He arrived in Hastinavati with his disciples. When the festivities were over, the king persuaded Vyasa to stay for a few days. One day Janamejaya requested to Vyasa, "Master, you knew my ancestors. You know their stories. Kindly tell their storyâ€� "Yes, son- my disciple Vaishampayana will narrate the story," answered Vyasa, and asked his disciple to narrate the story in detail. The disciple repeated it exactly as he had heard it from the master. Janamejaya listened to the story in rapt silence 1.19 Vedavyasa- His contributions It was sage Vyasa who classified the Vedas into four branches - Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva Vedas. Formerly, it formed a single body of knowledge. Hence name for him Vedavyasa. Vyasa had a number of disciples. The four great 'rishis' called Vaishampayana, Paila, Jaimini and Sumantu took the Vedas to people in different corners. Some people found the Vedas difficult to understand. So Vyasa wrote the Brahmasutras in order to explain the meaning of the Vedas. To explain the mean background of the Brahmasutras he wrote the eighteen Puranas; in these he wrote about the great men connected with Brahmasutras and also told moral tales. At the end of it all, Vyasa wrote the Harivamsha, the history of Lord Krishna. The Itihasas and Puranas are called the fifth Veda. Seeing that the women, the Sudras and the fallen Brahmanas, Kshatriyas and Vaisyas were debarred even from hearing the Vedas, and did not know how to perform acts that are conductive to good, the sage was good enough to compose the Mahabharata in order that women and others too might attain blessedness through the same. Out of compassion the great sage Vedavyasa thought it wise that all mankind achieve the ultimate goal of life. Thus he compiled the historical treatise known as the Mahabharata for the women, laborers and friends of the brahmanas. Vedavyasa compiled the Mahabharata under the auspices of disciple succession, properly explaining what is essential so that even women, laborers and those not qualified to read the Vedas can envision the path of righteousness. 1.20 Vedavyasa â€"a sage seen seven generations Sage Vedavyasa witnessed the rise and fall of seven generations from Shantanu to Janamejaya. He lived among gigantic heroes like Lord Krishna, Bheeshma and Yudhishthira He spoke encouragingly to the good and the pious. He was himself an example to others and his life was as pure as fire. The stories of such great men shed light on our path. 1.21 Vedavyas hills About two kilometers off the main road connecting Rourkela and Sambalpur is Vedavyasa, believed to be the hermitage of sage Vyasa. "To the west of the river Brahmi, in the midst of a deep jungle was the `ashram' of Vyasa. Every morning the saint took bath in the waters of the river Saraswati and offering paeans to Lord Vishnu, sat in meditation." Thus goes a `sloka' in `Srimad Bhagavatam'. Indicating where the poet lived. The river Brahmi is taken to be the Brahmani River in western Orissa. A thickly wooded area here is called Vedavyasa, lies to the west of this river 14 km away from the steel city of Rourkela. In fact, the hallowed place is at the confluence of three rivers â€" the Koel, the Sankh and the Saraswati. Everyday many come here just to take bath in the river Brahmani. Legend has it that the great saint Parasara lived near this place in a village known as `Parasharamunda. ' 1.22 Vyasa Purnima Vyasa Purnima (The full moon day of the Asadha) is celebrated with much pomp everywhere. It is commonly believed that Vyasa completed the epic `Mahabharata' on this day. 2. SAGE SUGA 2.1 Sage Suga’s peculiar birth Once, a desire arose in the mind of .He met the sage Jabali and proposed to marry his daughter Vatika. Accepting the proposal, the sage Jabali happily married his daughter Vatika to VedaVyasa. Thus, living in his hermitage amidst the forests, Maharishi Vedavyasa began his married life. With time, his wife Vatika became pregnant and a foetus began to grow in her womb. That foetus continued to grow for 12 years but no child was born. The foetus heard those discussions and recitations in the hermitage. Whatever the foetus heard in the womb, it at once remembered that. Thus the foetus studied and got expertise in Sanga, Vedas, Smriti, Puranas and all the Muktishastras (mere hearing or study of which is beneficial for a man's life). Since the foetus had grown extraordinarily large, so the mother was experiencing a lot of pain. One day Vyasa angrily asked the foetus: "Who are you in the womb of my wife? Why don't you come out? Do you want to kill the pregnant lady?" The foetus replied: " I can become anything, devil, god, human, animal etc. because I have come here after wandering through 84 lakh births. So how can I tell you about my identity? I can know that presently I have come in human form in the womb of your wife. I want to stay in the womb in the same form. Presently, I am practicing Yoga here and I know for certain that I will receive Moksha (salvation) right from here. As long as the life remains in the womb, it has the knowledge, detachment and the memories of its previous births. When it comes out of the womb, all of its knowledge, detachment disappears. Hence, staying in the womb, I will receive salvation â€"said foetus Sage Vyasa asked the foetus to come out and free him from the obligation of being a father." The foetus desired an assurance from Lord Krisha that the worldly illusions will not affect him. On account of this sage Vyasa went to Dwaraka and related the condition of the foetus to Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna at once arrived at Vyasa's hermitage and said to the foetus: " O child, as soon as you come out of the womb, I will destroy your illusions. Hence, you come out soon and the path for your well being." Thus assured by Lord Krishna, the foetus came out of the womb 2.2 The boy Suga go to forest After coming out of the womb he greeted his mother and father and lord Krishna began to go to the forests at once. He had already reached the age of 12 at the time of coming out from his mother's womb. Seeing him walk towards the forests, Vyasa said: " Son, please stay put at home, so that I can carry out the necessary rituals for you." But the boy replied: " O great among the sages, thousands of rituals were carried out in many of my births. These bondages of rituals have submerged me in the illusions of the world." Hearing the boy's words, Lord Krishna said to Vyasa: " O sage, your son is talking like a Shukha (parrot). Hence name this boy as Shukhdev. This boy, proficient in YogaVidya will not stay in your home because he is free from every passion and illusion. Let him go as per his wishes but bestow your love on him, for now having seen his face, you are free from the obligations of a father." Saying these words, Lord Krishna returned to Dwaraka. After Lord Krishna had left, Vyasa tried to coax the boy again but he did not stop and continued his departure to the forests. Seeing him go like that and disturbed by anxiety, Vyasa also followed him and called out to him saying: " O son, O son." But since Shukhdev did not have a differentiating mind, he used to see all the living and non-living things of the world alike. 2.3 Sukha had no difference between men and women While Vyasa was following his son, he reached a scheduled place amidst the forests, where some women were taking their bath in a lake. Seeing Vyasa coming that way, they hurriedly came out of the water and began to don their clothes. Amazed by their behaviour, Vyasa asked those women: " Ladies, my son is young. He has just passed by the lake, but you continued your plays ignoring him. No shyness arose seeing him. Why then are you feeling shy to see an old man like me?" The women replied politely: " Forgive us O sage. You know the difference between a man and a woman. But your son is free of this ability to differentiate between a man and a woman. He looks at all things alike. Hence it is same to be dressed or undressed in front of him." Hearing these words of the woman, Sage Vyasa returned. He understood well that it was meaningless to have a relation of a father and son with such an equal sighted person like Shukhdev. 2.4 Sage Vyasa get back his son Sukhdev Vyasa was still desirous to keep Shukhdev as his disciple so that he could teach him the scriptures. Now he knew that only the divine and auspicious appearance of the God himself could attract such a detached and passionless person. Hence, teaching his disciples a couplet that contained extremely enchanting descriptions of Lord Krishna, he sent them to the forests. Every time the disciples roamed the forests for fruits and flowers, they used to recite that couplet in an extremely sweet voice. When Shukhdev heard that couplet, he went to the disciples and insisted then to teach him that couplet. The disciples then brought him to Vyasa's hermitage where Shukhdev began to study Srimad Bhagwat. Thus, only the knowledge given by the teacher is superior. After finishing his education and with his father's permission, Shukhdev spent some time in the court of Mithila king Janaka. The king received preaching about spirituality from him. He roamed from place to place. 2.5 Sage Sukhdev preaches Sremad Bhagavatham When Takshaka, the Naga had bitten the king Parikshit, he decided to crown his only son Janamijaya and did a fast called Nirjula Vrata in the banks of river Ganges. Nirjula Vrata is a fast in which even water is forbidden. Many sages arrived there. Sage Shukhdev too arrived there. All of them worshipped sage Sukhdev. At the behest of the king, Shukhdev preached Shrimad Bhagwat to him for 7 days continuously. Sage Ugrava present there repeated it to sage Suta. Srimad Bhagavata possesses a glory of its own and constitutes the very essence of the Vedas. It is a unique light illuminating the Spiritual Realities for those worldly men who seek to go beyond the darkness of ignorance. It was out of compassion for such men, that teacher of sages, Sukhadeva, uttered this Purana. 2.6 Sage Sukhdev become one among Saptharshi In the next Manavtara, Shukhdev occupied a position among the Saptarishis- the 7 great sages. 2.7 About Sreemad Bhagavatham Sage Vedavyasa did not feel contended even after writing the Mahabharata. He felt that there is something, which he did not deliver to his devotees. Sage Narada arrived at the ashram of Sri Vedavyasa and requested him to write a text in which the greatness of Vishnu is elaborated. Then Sage Vedavyasa composed the Bhagavatam, which is full of the pastimes of the supreme God. He instructed the text to his son Sri Suka, who was an incarnation of Lord Shiva. Sri Suka, in turn discoursed this text to King Parikshit for 7 days. Several rishis and sages arrived from all parts of the country to listen to the discourse by Sage Suka. Today, we hear about the Bhagavatam due to the conversation between Shaunaka and Suta. Suta retold the Bhagavatam to Shaunaka and other sages. The tradition continued and we have the Bhagavatam in the present form. 2.8 Madhvacharya and Srimad Bhagavatham Madhvacharya the establisher of the Brahma Madhva Vaisnava Sampradaya received instructions and knowledge of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita directly from Vedavyasa 2.9 Sugavaneswarar Temple at Salem The deity in the temple is Sugavaneswarar (Shiva). This temple houses the image of Shiva, which is said to have been worshipped by the mythological sage Suga Muni - the king of parrots. |
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