SRIMATHE RAMANUJAYA NAMAHA.
Continuing from the previous mail, this land of Pithrus in the south, centred
somewhere in the constellation of Virgo (kanya rasi) is the central part of the
Sun's southward sojourn. In its southern sojourn from the month of Aadi to
Margazhi, the kanya raasi or the constellation of Virgo occurs exactly in the
middle of the journey- fit enough to be called as South Proper. We know that
directions are only with reference to fixed state. They actually keep changing
with the rotation of the earth. Hence the reference to the direction South can
be in this way.
This part of the sky is the central one around which our galaxy rotates,
This part of the sky or rather the alignment of the Sun to this region marks
two events important for pithrus, namely MahaLAya paksham and MahaLaya
amaavasya.
It is on MahaaLaya amavasya day, the sun and the moon align with the center of
this southern sojourn, of the constellation of Virgo, with the earth in front
of them. The alignment takes place in the order, earth, moon, sun and some
center far-off.
>From the book of astronomy, we get to know that the moon is away from the
>earth by a distance that is 108 times the diameter of the moon.
The sun is away from us by a distance that is 108 times the diameter of the sun.
By same logic, this center, special for pithrus may very likely to be away from
us by 108 times the diameter of itself (the pithru loka)!!
On the day of MahaaLaya amavasya, The sun holds us by its polar rays and holds
also the moon in between. If the same trend were to be applicable for all such
centers (discussed in a previous mail), the Pithru loka also must be holding
all of us on that day by way of single alignment. It is on this day the pithrus
who had spent their time in our homes depart after taking the tarpaNam.
It is by the rays of sun they travel to earth on the Pournami day in the month
of Purattasi (virgo) (texts say so) and it is by the rays of the sun they
depart. In the month of Purattasi, the circuit is complete, the distance is
also the least when compared to other times.
And what science has recently discovered!
Science has detected a long arm of particles stretching from outer space
(origin unknown), touching the sun and the moon as though enveloping them.
But this fact already exists in Upanishads. They even give more details of
this 'holding' of beings!!
The sun not only brings the pithrus through its rays. It also acts as a
connecting link to human beings to worlds beyond the sun.
According to scriptural texts, there is mutual connection between arteries and
the rays of the sun. The human beings are held or connected by the rays of the
Sun. There are 101 naadis (arteries) of the heart and the one that pierces
through the head is the 101st which is connected to the sun's rays. Just as how
the sun holds the earth with its polar arms, its numerous rays also are
connected to each individual. This is expressed in one of the Upanishads as 'He
sees me only, he sees me only." The sun's radiance is such that every being on
this earth thinks that the sun is seeing him/ her only. But the connection
exists as per Chnadogya Upanishad. (the text of this portion is furnished at
the end of this mail.)
The Knower (the one who is a Realised soul and is about to reach Brahmanhood)
follows this naadi and is taken up by the sun's rays to the places 'yonder the
sun'. The others and those who depart at night and during the Sun's southern
sojourn, also are taken by the sun's rays (to the land of manes or moon) and if
such a person happens to be one eligible for Release, he is further guided to
yonder the sun, after the sun completes the southern journey. How the person is
still held even at night times has been given by Bhagavad Ramanuja in his
bhashyam to Brahma sutras 4-2-17 to 19 (available on net).
Texts say that even during sleep every person wanders through this ray of the
sun. But the point I wish to make here is that every being on this earth is
being held by the Sun and the earth itself is being held by the sun.
Science still believes that it is gravity that holds the objects clinging to
the sun and making them going around it. But doubts are being raised about this
in some scientific quarters. As per upanishadic knowledge, it is something else
that holds them to it. It is the rays that hold them to it. One body holding
the other seems to exist at every level.
The sun and the moon are not just two celestial bodies.
The sun stands for fathers, as pithru kaaraka.
The moon stands for mothers, as mathru kaaraka.
It is perfectly logical that the day of their alignment closer to each other
(amavasya) is considered as the right day to offer them oblations.
The day when they align with cosmic center is again the best time to offer them
the oblations.
And this oblation has to be done with shraddha, a commitment, a faith and
devotion which is possible only if the mind thinks what the Atma desires.
No wonder
The sun is also known as Atma kaaraka,
the moon, the mano kaaraka.
And the day the Atma and the mind align together, this oblation is offered with
shraddha.
A day for pithrus is equivalent to 1 month for us. When we complete 1 year they
complete just 12 days. So the MahaaLaya paksham is just half a day - it is
night for them and in their morning of next day they leave for their abode.
When oblations are offered at every amavasya, it means they receive their food
at the dawn of every day of their world. When oblations are offered on Grahana
kaalam, the route is almost straight and short and it is like serving them from
close quarters directly.
When they complete 1 year, it is roughly around 30 human years, a sufficiently
long time for humans who are destined to start tarpanam from a very young age,
to continue to do it without losing faith and shraddha.. Because they are
waiting..to be released from 'Pu' the hell and waiting so that our children
will be able to live long and disease-free.
Because texts declare that the one who serves the oblations in all faith
releases 12 generations of his pithrus and 12 generations of his future
generations as well from hell.
TarpaNam ensures that they (pithrus) would not "Punish us not for any sin, O
Fathers, which we through human frailty have committed." (Rig veda - XV -6)
It ensures that the doer gains energy
"Lapped in the bosom of the purple Mornings, give riches to the man who brings
oblations.
Grant to your sons a portion of that treasure, and, present, give them energy,
ye Fathers." (Rig veda XV -7)
It also ensures that they " grant riches with a multitude of hero sons." (Rig
veda XV- 11)
And what do they get in return?
They are given their own body
"Grant them, O Sovran Lord, the world of spirits and their own body," (Rig veda
XV 14)
Are these just prayers?
Are these just wishes?
No there is unseen science working behind all this. Brahma sutras hold the key.
Upanishads show the way.
The rationale will be discussed in the next mail.
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PS -1:-
From the book on astronomy, 108 represents the distance in cosmos. By the same
logic, this pithru loka must be away from us by 108. The 108 beads of the
rosary is held by 107 joints, which is the number of marmas or weak spots of
the body according to Ayur veda. One has to overcome 107 kinds of obstructions
(or something like it) to reach this magic number 108 which is the Moksha
sthaanam. 108 is the number allotted to the Vaikuntham in the series of divya
desas. 108 is the number of times japas are repeated. As per texts the
brahmacharin and the gruhastha must chant the Gayathri japa 108 times. This 108
must therefore be the distance between the seeker and the Sought, the Lord.
This perhaps represents the distance of the inward spiritual journey.
PS -2 :-
>From Chandogya Upanishad, part 8, chapter 6
1.Now, those arteries of the heart are filled with the essences of brown,
white, blue, yellow and red liquid substances. Verily, the sun yonder is brown,
it is white, it is blue, it is yellow, it is red.
2 As a long highway runs between two villages, this one and that yonder, so do
the rays of the sun go to both worlds, this one and that yonder. They start
from yonder sun and enter into these arteries; they start from these arteries
and enter into yonder sun.
3 When a man is asleep, with the senses withdrawn and serene and sees no dream,
then he has entered into these arteries Then no evil touches him, for he has
obtained the light of the sun.
4 And when he becomes weak, then those sitting around him say: "Do you know me?
Do you know me?" As long as he has not departed from this body, he knows them.
5 When he departs from the body if he is a mere ritualist and ignorant of
Brahman he then goes upward by these rays toward the worlds which he has gained
by his meritorious work. Or if he is a knower of the doctrines of the akasa in
the lotus of the heart, he then meditates on Om and thus secures entrance into
Brahmaloka. Or if he is ignorant he attains lower bodies. The knower attains
the solar orb as quickly as one directs one's mind from one object to another.
This indeed is the door to the World of Brahman for those who know; for the
ignorant it is closed.
6 On this there is the following verse:
"There are one hundred and one arteries of the heart, one of which pierces the
crown of the head. Going upward by it, a man at death attains immortality.
Other arteries, going in different directions, only serve as channels for his
departing from yea, only serve as channels for his departing from the body."
PS -3 :- Chandogya Upanishad- Part 5 - Chapter XII - Instruction by the
Southern Fire
(Agni says) 1 Then the Anvaharya (Southern or Dakshina ) Fire taught him (Satya
kama Jabali) : "Water, the quarters, the stars and the moon are my forms. The
person that is seen in the moon-I am he, I am he indeed.
2 "He who, knowing this, meditates on the fire frees himself from sinful
actions, obtains the World of the Anvaharya Fire, reaches his full age and
lives brightly. His descendants do not perish. We support him in this world and
in the other who, knowing this, meditates on the fire."
(Unquote)
The above one is about pithru loka, the path of moon and the land of manes.
This is described as one foot of Brahman. How Brahman is connected to pithru
loka is explained in Mahabharata, Shanti parva, in the dialogue between Nara-
Narayana and Narada wherein Bhagavan says that it is He who receives the
oblation in Pithru tarpanam. Details at another mail at appropriate context.
The other foot is described like this:
"The swan said to him: "Fire is one quarter, the sun is one quarter, the moon
is one quarter, lightning is one quarter. This, dear friend, is one foot of
Brahman, consisting of four quarters and this foot is called Jyotishmat
(luminous)."
This is about the path of Light.
It is to be noted that the Sun plays a role at both levels of guiding the
beings to and from pithru loka and to yonder its domain - to Brahma loka et al.
It is this at the center at every level of existance for us.
Regards,
Jayasree saranathan
(to be continued)
From Surya Upanishad:-
Om ! O Devas, may we hear with our ears what is auspicious;
May we see with our eyes what is auspicious, O ye worthy of worship !
May we enjoy the term of life allotted by the Devas,
Praising them with our body and limbs steady !
May the glorious Indra bless us !
May the all-knowing Sun bless us !
May Garuda, the thunderbolt for evil, bless us !
May Brihaspati grant us well-being !
Om ! Let there be Peace in me !
Let there be Peace in my environment !
Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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