Priya Bhagavad Bandhuo!
Today is the 2nd day of our prapanna deeksha program. We are going to celebrate this prapanna deeksha for a year. We can continue this chanting of mantra for our own elevation and for the purpose of strengthening our own will power. You know, prayer is always powerful. People say ‘prayer moves even mountains’. But if it is done with commitment it definitely enriches our energy and enables us to focus on any issue that is given to us.

Which is the supreme most of all mantras?

There are many mantras, which we one can meditate up on. Some mantras possess just verbal power. Some mantras have in depth power within its meaning. Some mantras give a feel of energy. Among mantras that have been revealed in our scriptures, the na:ra:yana maha:mantra is supposed to be the best and the easiest.

Mantra means a combination of few sounds; a compilation of few divine sounds. There are two types of sounds that we all know. One we create for our the purpose of communication with words like cat, rat etc. Each letter when taken separately doesn’t mean anything but collectively they indicate a particular object. These are created by human beings for communication. But there are few sounds which are not created either by human beings or the devata:s. The beautiful sound heard near an ocean or a sea for instance, is not created by anyone. A blow of wind…another beautiful sound! These are from the nature. Sounds produced by animals are not created by human beings either. It’s amazing to note that these sounds from nature never change. Only the sounds of human beings keep on changing ! Our language changes from time to time. Some sounds are changeable but few are not. What we call today as mantras are the sounds that are not created by us and they never change at all, just like the sounds of birds, animals and the nature. Hence the sounds that are not created by human beings and unchangeable by nature are called the mantras and they give energy to us. According to the sages Veda Vya:sa and Para:sara, Bharadwa:tatha:mantreshu nasti cha ashta:kshara parah.

Why is “Narayana Mantra” the most Supreme?

As Lord Na:ra:yana is the supreme among all the devata:s, na:ra:yana maha:mantra is the supreme of all the mantras. It is for this reason all the sages and vedas approved and proclaimed this mantra as the greatest mantra. The sages witnessed the greatness of the mantra and said that man has different goals and different fruits to enjoy during the life time and he needs to get something after this life also. Desiring needs is not denied by scriptures. Such needs are called ‘aihalokika’ needs. Some needs are aihalokikam and some are pa:raloukikam. A few people are not interested in acquiring aihalokika pleasures they want something superior to what they see here. Among those superior things, they want to experience certain pleasures and they call it as swargam. Some people want self-realization and they discard other things. It is called kaivalyam. There is one more thing which is called God Realization. This is called Bhagavath Pra:pthi. Self-realization is like a droplet in an ocean of God Realization. For each one of these things, we need to approach some forms of God. Great sages like Veda Vyasa, they clearly mentioned that all the above aihaloukikam, pa:ralokikam, kaivalyam and bhagavath pra:pthi, can be obtained by the ashta:kshari mantra. Narayana mantra is all in one. It can provide the aihaloukika fruits, paraloukika fruits like swargam, self realization and also God realization. Thus it became the supreme mantra not only at verbal level but also at the level of its meaning. All the great souls from different schools of thought viz, advaita, dvaita, visishtadvaita accepted and followed this mantra. Because all those great souls followed, we also chant and follow the mantra, as we need all fruits. That is the reason why Acharyas gave this mantra. An important thing to be remembered is that, while chanting any mantra there is a procedure to be followed, just like we have a procedure to perform a surgery.

For complete information click here.

The Vedic Tradition

Ramanuja is regarded as the greatest theologian of the Vedic Lineage. The first of the great acharyas of the Vishistadvaita philosoply , Nathamuni, was from a traditional family of Sanskrit scholarship. His father was Iswarbhatt and his son was Iswaramuni. They lived in Viranarayanapuram. Nathamuni, is said to have taken the first steps towards a collation of Vaishnava philosophy and theology. The names of his two Sanskrit works are remembered and quoted, but neither has survived. Nathamuni also compiled the hymns of the Alvars, into a collection of four thousand verses (Nalayira Divya Prabandham). He also made arrangement for these “poems” to be chanted along with the Vedas during the services at Srirangam temple. He is also renowned as the founding father of Yoga. Yoga is the achievement of liberation from the cycle of bodily existences through a difficult process of mental and physical disciplines. The organization of the Vaishnava community was achieved by Nathamuni’s grandson Yamunacharya who was an accomplished Vedic scholar as well as a Vaishnava savant. Adopted into a royal family he lived a luxurious life in early days, but converted later and took to an ascetic life. He succeeded in consolidating the Vaishnava community and establishing Srirangam temple as their headquarters. It was his great ambition to merge the devotion of the Alvars with the Vedantic methodology. He could not himself achieve this ambition but towards the end of his life he met Ramanuja and recognized in him the competent Vedic scholar who could do it. The mission was entrusted to Ramanuja through his five principle disciples. Today there are over 700 Srivaishnava monasteries in all parts of India.

Works of Ramanuja – The Opus Magnus of Ramanuja is the Sri-bhashya — a commentary on the Vedanta-sutras of Badarayana which is one of the three basic texts of Vedanta (the others being the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads). Besides this, he produced nine other works. These are:—

1. Vedanta-sangraha, an independent work expounding the philosophy of the Upanisads;
2. Vedanta-sara
3. Vedanta-dipa which are brief synopsises on the Vedanta-sutras;
4. Gita-bhashya, a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita;
5. Nitya-grantha dealing with daily rituals and devotional practices for Vaishnavas.
6. Gadyatraya, three prose works which are of great sectarian importance with a theological base.
7. Saranagati-gadya, an exposition on the greatness of self-surrender (prapatti) and the method thereof.
8. Sriranga-gadya, is a prayer to Lord Sri Ranganatha to grant eternal servitude
9. Vaikuntha Gadya which is a poetic description of Vaikuntha — the Lord’s eternal Transcendental Abode. This work is used as a contemplative device which brings great solace.

Index of the document:

• Birth of Ramanuja
• Early Life
• Discipleship under Yadava Prakasa
• Growing tension with Yadava Prakasa
• Yadava Praka’s attempt to murder Ramanuja
• Yamunacharya
• The dis-affection with Yadava Prakasa
• Under the guidance of Kanchipurna
• Yamunacharya’s demise
• Initiation
• Renunciation
• The coming of the Disciples
• Relocation to Srirangam
• Goshtipurna
• Ramanuja and the street boys
• The High Priest
• Yajnesa and Varada
• The Antics of Govinda
• The meeting with Yajna-murti
• The writing of the Sri Bhashya
• The Conquest
• Parasara Bhattar
• Dhanurdasa
• Kulottunga Chola 1
• King Bhittideva
• Sampat Kumara
• Return to Srirangam
• The last days
• The Final Teaching
• Pari Nirvana

All these points were put together in a work called “Sri: Venkate:swara Itiha:sa Ma:la”, a Garland of Verses about Sri: Venkate:swara’s History. 

Why is it that this form of God is so popular?

LET US ALL LEARN THE SIGNIFICANCE AND GREATNESS OF TIRUMALA! Click on the following links to learn more.

• Sri Venkatachala Mahatmyam(English) – Click here
• Spot on the chin – Click here
• Story of Ananthalwan – Purasai Thota Festival – Click here
• Origin of A:kasa Ganga – Click here
• Srinivasa Kalyanam – Click here
• Pada Padi – Click here
• Important Places in Tirumala – Click here
• Quiz on “Hisotry of Tirumala” – Click here