Dasavathara –Balarama vs Buddha controversy –What do you think?

Dasavathara –Balarama  vs Buddha  controversy –What do you think?

P.R.Ramachander

  The ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu starts   with  Mathsya  and ends with Kalki of the future . It is told as

“Mathsya , Koorma, Varahascha, Nrusimhascha  , Vamana , Ramo,  Ramascha, Ramascha  , Krishna Kalki  Janardhana”

Prayers  addressed  to and temples dedicated  to Mathsya, Koorma , Vamana , And Balarama   are very rare .I had in my collection some  rare  stotrams addressed  to these Gods   and I have presented  them  along with prayers addressed to you all in the last nine days.

  One reader  told me that Balabadhra or Balarama  is not  the incarnation of  Lord Vishnu  but  an incarnation of Adhi Sesha. If he were  accepted as  an incarnation then  Lakshmana  also should be one among   the Dasavatharas.

  That gentleman said , the Dasavatharas  are not as  given   above but

“Mathsya , Koorma, Varahascha, Nrusimhascha  , Vamana , Ramo,  Ramascha  , Krishnascha, Buddha  Kalki  Janardhana”

That is  Balarama  is not the eighth incarnation but  Budha is the ninth  incarnation.One possible reason for this is that  if Balarama is the incarnation , he has done  no great deed in killing the Asuras .There are  few  references like this but  to my best of my knowledge  Hinduism  has not accepted Buddha as God and nor have  Buddhists   ever  claimed that  Budha  is a Hindu God. There is a Dasavathara Stotra   which  starts  with “Yaa Thwara  Jala Sanchare  …”   where Balarama  is not included   as an incarnation but Budha is. I have another six  Dasavathara   Stotras  in my collection (Which I am going to post from  tomorrow) where  Balarama  is the incarnation  and not Buddha  .

     I know there  are many learned  scholars  in  and outside face book   and I would like their comments  on this Issue.

Vaan chirappu (Thirukkural-second chapter)

Vaan chirappu (Thirukkural-second chapter)

Greatness  of  sky

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

(Thiruvalluvar   after  saluting God  in the first chapter,  describes  rain and its effect  on the world  in the second chapter. He says :-

The rain supplies nectar to the world. It  helps us to produce food and also   becomes our food .If it fails not only world would be hungry  but farmers cannot farm and produce food. World becomes sad if it fails and becomes joyous if it falls properly  as  we cannot see  even a blade of grass without it , even oceans would dry and  even charity and penance   would come to an end .He then concludes  that without rain we cannot exist.)

1.Vaan nindru ulagam vazhangi varuthalaal,

THaan amizhtham yendru  unarar pathu.

1.All  beings  , live believing in the sky,

And realize , that  what falls  from it  is nectar

2.thupparkku  thuppaya thuppakki , thupparkku,

Thuppaya thoom  Mazhai

2.Rain  makes  food for consumers  and ,

Also becomes  their  food.

3.Vin nindru poippin  viri neer viyan ulagathu  ,

Ul nindru  udatthum pasi.

3,If rain fails  , world  surrounded  by water,

Would suffer  due to pangs of hunger.

4.Yerin uzhaar  uzhavar puyal yennum ,

Vaari valam kundri kaal.

4.If rains fails, farmers would not  farm,

And the prosperity   would decrease.

5.Keduppathoom  kettarkku  chaarvai  mathaange ,

Yedppathoom yellam mazhai.

5.Rain  causes  disaster  by failing ,

And also increases joy by proper falling.

6.Visumbin thuli veezhin allal mathu aange  ,

Pasumpul thalai kanpathu arithu

6.Unless   rain drops   fall from the sky,

It is difficult to see   a blade of  fresh grass.

7.Nedum kadalum  than neermai  kundrum  , thadinthu   yezhili,

Than nalkathu aagi vidin,

7.Even the huge ocean   would dry , if  the clouds ,

Do not pour  back the water that   they have taken.

8.Chirappodu  poosanai chellathu vaanam,

Varakku mrl vanorkkum  yeendu.

8.Even worship  to those in heaven would stop,

If the   rains  dry up in the sky

9,Thanam  thavam  irandum  thanga viyan ulagam,

VAnam  vazhangathu   yenin.

9.Charity  and penance   would not stay  , Unless ,

The sky gives  water to earth.

10,Neer nindru amayathu  ulagu yenin, yaaryaarkkum,

Vaan yindru amayathu ozhukku.

10.World cannot exist without water and that ,

Water   would not flow  unless the  sky rains.

A folk tale in You tube by me.

Dear Friends,

 I  had told you all some time back, that my daughter Meera Venkatesan who is much interested in story telling like me wanted to preserve to upcoming generations , my peculiar method of story telling , that too in English rather than Tamil which I use to tell the stories, I had circulated my first attempt in telling the story using You tube .it was good and so a new story , that of Thiruvazhuthan which is very popular among Tamil speaking Brahmins was recorded.It is a great improvement over my first effort and my daughter put in much more effort in recording and editing it.I am sure that all children would like it better.I have a humble request.Please do hear it and forward it to your friends.

https://www.youtube.com/attribution_link?a=CLTE0-8k2Lw&u=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D-K-25X7E5es%26feature%3Dshare

Ramachander

Attempt to translate the first chapter of Kural

Attempt to translate  the  first chapter of Kural

By

P.R.Ramachander

(     Thirukural  the magnum opus of saint  Thiruvalluvar consists of 1330 verses each containing two lines, with first line having four words and the second thre words. Thousands of translations and commentaries   of this work   in umpteen language   exist. I tried to translate  the first chapter of Kural  dealing with worship of Gods,  with verses   in English  with as few words as  possible .Please   try to make  my translation more short  with better meaning .)

Kadavul  Vazhthu

(Praising of God)

1.Akara Mudhala ezhuthellam  aadhi,

Bhagavan mudathe ulagu

1.Alphabets   start  with  “A”,

And the world  with  God

2.Kathathanaal aana payannen kol valarivan,

Nathaal   thozhaar  yenin.

2.Useless  is  the  learning ,  unless Lord’s

Feet   is saluted

3.Malarmisai   yeginaan  manadi chernthaar,

Nilamisai   needoozhi vaazhvar

3 Worship God  occupying  the flower like  mind

And   live long for  all times to come.

4.Venduthal vendamai   ilaan   adi chernthaarkku  ,

Yaandum   idumbai   ilai

4.To those who join the  feet of  him who has no likes  or dislikes

There would never be  any sorrow.

5.Irul cher  iru vinayum cheraa iraivan,

POrul cher   pugazh purinthaar  maatu.

5, Those who praise  the  stable fame of God,

Are not followed by  the dark fates of past karma

6.pOri vayil  iynthavithan  poi neer ozhukka,

Neri nindrar  needu vaazhvar

6.Forsake  evil of  five senses  and  follow

The dharma  and live long  .

7.THamakku uvamai illathaan  thaal chernthaarkku  allal,

Manakkavalai   mathaal arithu

7.Except  by  Joining  feet of   the incomparable God ,

Getting  cured of mental worries is difficult.

8.Aravaazhi anthanan   thaal cherntharkku  allal,

Pira vazhi  neendhal   arithu

8. Except  by saluting the feet  of  Good people ,

Who follow Dharma , swimming ocean of samsara is difficult.

9.Kolil poriyil  gunamilave , yen gunathaan,

Thalai  vananga  thalai .

9.The head of those who do not salute the great God ,

Is as useless  as  the organs  which  fail  to function.

10.Piravi perum kadal   neenthuvar  neenthaar,

Iraivan adi cheraathaar,

10 Try to swim and cross  the great ocean of birth,

For those who do not, do not  reach the feet of God.

Mother mine by DR.A.P.J.Kalam

Mother  mine

By 

DR.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam

Translated  by

P.R.Ramachander

(Here is a poem written  by Our  DR.Kalam about his mother.The pathos in the poem would  definitely bring tears  in every one’s eyes.  This great poem in Tamil was sung by  Kalimamani P.Unnikrishnan , set to soul stirring tune by Sri Rangaswamy Parthasarathy. You can read   about this phase  of DR.Kalam’s child hood   and an abbreviated  version (done by himself)  of this great poem in http://www.abdulkalam.com/kalam/jsp/display_content.jsp?menuid=22&menuname=Dr.Kalam%F6s%20Page&linkid=130&linkname=Profile&content=896&starts=0. Then  please do hear the song drenched in tears of Sri P.Unnikrishnan  in  https://www.facebook.com/1556938664551132/videos/1653244038253927/ . Do not forget   to shed a  drop  of tear   in memory of that   great lady  who was   the mother  of this great man. God would certainly  bless you .My translation  only carries the meaning but not the dripping  emotion of the poem.)

Refrain/Pallavi

Oh mother, Oh Mother, Oh mother mine,

Oh mother, Oh Mother , Oh mother mine

1.Oh mother your form  is   the one  that merged  with the faith of  holy pilgrims.

Which  is like   the  tides  of sea lashing  on the sand,

And then you were    living in the street of the  mosque  in Rameswaram  (Oh mother..)

2.You extended  the hand of the   support  of heaven to me  ,

And the  memory of the days of  world war   come to my mind,

And it was time of  eruption and boiling   when life was  indeed a challenge.(Oh mother..)

3.Many hours before    the sun rose  at dawn ,

I had to wake up and walk   a very long way ,

To   learn  about God from   the  teacher  of wisdom,

Who used to live  near   the temple and  then again,

I had  to   start go the traditional school  .(Oh mother..)

5,Climbing  up and down   on the several  hills of sand,

I had to go to the railway station  to  carry and walk back

With the news paper bundles which  I had to  distribute ,

To the  people   who were living    temple city  ,

And then only  I could  afford go to the school mine.(oh mother..)

6 In the evening before  going to bed at night  ,

I had to attend to the business  along   with my father,

And oh mother    all those  pains of the little boy ,

Were  cured  by you   with your nature  that was greatly soft.(Oh mother..)

7.You saluted   that God  who had ability  to do everything  ,

Five times daily   and  through it   gave strength to your children.  (Oh mother..)

8.Shared  you,    whatever you had   with the poor people all around you,

For  you were  one who  was a giver always ,

And you gave everything bundled  with  the belief that  you had in God. (oh mother..)

9. I   remember well,  what  happened   when I was  ten years old  ,

One full moon day , when a dove which took   birth in front  me was killed.

I was  lying down on your lap   closing my eyes,

For Oh mother   you only knew   the world that was mine, (Oh mother..)

10.In the mid night  made wet by your tears which fell on me , I woke up,

Oh mother  , only you knew   the pain of your son,

And your  hands which were concerned , made my pain lighter ,

And your love , concern  and  belief gave  me  this  great strength.(Oh mother…)

11,Oh mother using what you gave    I faced  this world without fear ,

And oh mother   we will again meet   on that great day of Judgment before the God.

An elegy of Bharatratna MS by Bharatharathna Kalam

The  divine music born out of music of Yaazh*,

You   would remain as  music  in  the heaven too .

An elegy  to the   empress of music  , the Bharata  rathna MS  Amma

By

Bharata  Rathna Abdul Kalam, the president  ruling  the heart of people.

Translated  by

P.R.Ramachander

   (We were  the fortunate  generation who  had the chance to hear ,  the music  from Smt.M.S.Subbalakshmi  , the nightingale of music, the empress of music  and  the  ocean of music whose voice used   to melt even the  people  who had  a heart like  stone. One among us  who was enchanted  by  her musical saga  is  Sri.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam   the people’s president , a great scientist  and one   who has  occupied   the minds of all us   by his  utter  simplicity  and great love and here  is the translation  of the  song that  he wrote  while travelling  in a plane   after  hearing  the   news of the passing away of MS  to heaven. I am not able to bring out  the deep  hurt  and sorrow  that  Sri Kalam’s heart suffered  due to that sorrowful news. I know  among  my friends  in face book  are several musicologists. I appeal to  them all to put in   their effort to  bring out a Carnatic music Krithi  out of this elegy   commemorating his emotions  of a great man   in missing  the great lady   who ruled all our hearts  through her songs.)

You are  the seven note  music   born out  of the music of Yaazh,

What  your music   gave  was  peace and sweetness,

Along with  wealth of music   you also gave ,

The monetary wealth  in heaps and heaps  ,

And you also gave a chance to God to wonder about the greatness  of human voice.

Thousands and thousands of the  human beings got drenched in the epic  mercy of yours and became happy,

Our heart  got drenched and happy in the sweet    tone of  your musical voice

After  giving  wealth in  to the ears , joy in the mind, joy in the heart   in heaps  and heaps

As a season of spring , as music of Yaazh, you stole  our heart  for the past  eighty years,

And like  the seven note  music  , you also occupied  our entire  heart.

The  acme of the world of  women who wore the garland of Madhyamavathi,

The Bharataratna who made great  contribution to SriRaga  and made great  achievements in devotional music ,

You are the very great contribution  who gave time for us  to know about the music of Tansen,

You are the one  who stole  the heart of Annamacharya, Purandara   dasa   

And those three  great  musicians   who created magic,

And  like  the philanthropic   river   which  had  merged  in the  ocean of time ,

Your voice made  the tamil music that   stole   the  heart, to   flower and bloom.

The  crop of music which you praised  and nurtured , has merged  in to our heart, body and blood.

And gave  music   to music which  lives in this world,  luxuriously getting its soul with the growth of time ,

And though   you left this world  and has   gone  to the world of God ,

You who have been living  as  sensibility in billions and billions of hearts  ,

Would live   in the  divine world   of God   as Music.

*Yaazh was an ancient stringed musical instrument of TamilNadu.

AVani Avitta (Upakarma) Manthras for Yajur, Rig and Samaveda in the year 2015.

AVani Avitta  (Upakarma) Manthras   for  Yajur, Rig and Samaveda  in the year 2015.

    I have been giving    every  year the Upakarma procedure for the past  15 years for the use of people  who are not able  to get a priest  for guiding them in the procedure. Since such  eventuality would mostly occur  in case of people  living abroad, along with Sankalpa I have been giving   the  duration  of the Thithi and Nakshatra   and the time when it changes   so that according to time difference from India  , they can modify their Sankalpas.

    Avani avittam or Upakarma  is definitely not    the change of Poonal as  indicated  by a  popular TV serial recently. The Change of Poonal  is only a purificatory ceremony  which is a prelude  to the Upakarma  procedure . Once  the Yagnopavita  is changed , the  Brahmin  prays God  to  pardon   all the minor  and  major sins that  he has done during the  previous one year. This is followed by a  Vedic  procedure  which aims   to satisfy  the Devas , Rishis  and Pithrus by giving them Arghyam.After this the  Brahmin starts   reading the Vedas. The Chanting of the Vedas   should be done under guidance of  a Guru   who has learned  to chant Vedas , definitely   not by reading it but hearing  and repeating it properly. Because of this  I have not been giving  the Vedas  in English script.

  Yajur Vedis do upakarma   on the Pournami day of the Sravana month.  For Rig Vedis  , Pournami is not important but Sravana star  is important  . .The Sama Vedis observe Upakarma    during the Hastha Nakshatra of the avani month.This year   there are two opinions when the Rig Vedis should do Upakarma. Majority   of the people feel that   it should  be on 28^th  August but a few feet that  it should be on 24^th September. I have given manthras   for both cases   for this year. Please follow the date recommended by  your family priest(Acharya).I have not been able to get the Upakarma Manthras for Bodhayana  Suthra   and Shukla  Yajurveda and so I have not put them.  But  I have given the Bodhayana  Brahma Yajna procedure  in the end of Yajurvedi  Upakarma manthras. Large number of people put  Upakarma manthras  on line .Some of them even putr it in Devanagari  and some in Tamil. People who would prefer  that should wait and search   for these   after about a month. The upakarma manthras  put by me   can be  got from the following URl’s.

1.Yajur Veda  Upakarma Manthras 2015(29-8-2015)  --  http://brahminrituals.blogspot.in/2015/07/yajur-vedi-avani-avittam-manthras-for.html

2,Rig Veda UPakarma Manthras  2015 (28-8-2015) - http://brahminrituals.blogspot.in/2015/07/rig-vedi-avani-avittam-manthras-for.html

3.Rig Veda  Upakarma Manthras 2015 (24-9-2015) -  http://brahminrituals.blogspot.in/2015/07/rig-vedi-avani-avittam-for-year-2015-24.html

4.Sama Veda  Upakarma - http://brahminrituals.blogspot.in/2015/07/sama-veda-upakarma-prayoga-for-year-2015.html

          May  God bless  you all .Ramachander