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Dear all:
The best course will be to accept Salagramam 
as  gift from AnushTatas who have been doing 
Tiruvaradanam and are willing to part with them. 

Elders used to advise against BUYING Salgaramams,
like from shops.

May be one can check the geniuneness of the Salagramams 
with the help of reliable AnusTatas before buying them. 

This is because lot of spurious stuff get into such outlets 
- may be without their knowledge.
Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy
=====================================================================================================================================

Swamin,
   
  You can contact Khadi Gramodyag at Ranganathan Street, T Nagar
   
  Regards
  kpnarasimhan

SriRangaSri@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

There are 4 messages in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

1. types of dharmam
From: "M.G.Vasudevan" 
2. Hello! Are there any group-members out there residing in Stuttgart, Germany
From: sudarshan madabushi 
3. Salagrama - Details
From: RAM KRISHNAN 
4. SRS Vol 7-44 dated 03-16-06 SV 2-5
From: "ramanbil" 


________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Message: 1 
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 2006 15:51:51 +0530
From: "M.G.Vasudevan" 
Subject: types of dharmam

Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

Many a sri vaishNavaas in the lists of yahoo groups may well be aware that in 
sri vishNu sahasra naamam there is a slOkam which reads

Sree vaisampaayana uvaacha -
sruthvaa dharmaan asEshENa pavanaani cha sarvasa: |
yudhishtira: saanthanavam puna: Eva abhyabhaashatha: || 

This slOkam will on anvayam - putting in prose order - read as 

yudhishtira: Eva dharmaan cha pavanaani sarvasa: asEshENa sruthvaa, 
saanthanavam puna: abhyabhaashtha: || 

Meaning: sree vaisampaayana said - having listened to a complete ennobling and 
purifying ethical principles, yudhishtira spoke to bheeshma the son of santhanu 
again. 

This means that even after listening quite a lot about dharmam from bheeshma, 
still yudhishtira had some more doubts and as such wants to continue the 
conversation. Yes. That is what all 'saanthi parva' and 'anusaasana parva' the 
12th and 13th parvaas of mahaa bhaaratha talk about. 

On the above slOkam sri parasara bhattar, in his 'bhagavath guNa dharpaNam', 
the commentary on 'sree vishNu sahasra naama', on the word "dharmaan" comments 
as 

dharmaan - this comprehensively embraces 
1. raaja dharma [duty of the kings]
2. mOksha dharma [the code for attainment of salvation]
3. dhaana dharma [the principles underlying the dispensation of charity]
in accordance with the decrees and injunctions enjoined by sruthi and smrithi 
conferring material benefits here and in yonder worlds.

[Please note the word dharma is translated here as ethical principles. In other 
place it was done as religion, by another author. Further here itself three 
kinds of dharma are brought out].

By way of continuing his talk with his grandfather bheesham, the questions what 
yudhishtira asked are also well known [which we recite daily in sree vishNu 
sahasra naamam] -
1. lOkE kim Ekam dhaivatham? 
2. Ekam kim paraayaNam? 
3. sthuvantha: kam? 
4. maanavaa: subham praapnuyur kam archantha:?
5. sarva dharmaaNam bavatha kO dharma: parama: matha ?
6. janthu: samsaara bhandhanaath kim japan muchyathE ?

[For those not familiar with above Sanskrit anvayam done to the slokam - please 
refer next slokam of above quoted one "sree vaisampaayana uvaacha"]

We, in this write up, are interested to study the answer to the 5th question 
only, which is bhavatha sarva dharmaaNaam ka: parama dharma: matha? 

Meaning: "Amongst all dharmam, which is the supreme dharmam in your opinion" 
asks yudhishtira to bheeshma his grand father. 

The answer given by bheeshma is simple and great - or is it simply great? 

Esha mE sarva dharmaaNaam dharma: adhika thamO matha |
yath bhakthyaa pundareekaaksham sthavai: archEth nara: sadhaa ||

When anvayam is done - then it will read - nara: yath bhakthyaa 
pundareekaaksham sadhaa sthavai:, sadhaa archEth, [thath] sarva dharmaaNaam 
adhikathamo dharma:, Esha mE matha |

Meaning: bheeshma said or replied "This I consider the highest ethical act 
among all where a person incessantly and devoutly adores with hymns the lord 
who has eyes like lotus".

[MGV - please note the word sadhaa - normally translated as 'always' is put 
here as 'incessantly']

On this reply slokam of bheeshma, sri bhattar comments on the word "dharmaaNaam 
adhikathama dharma:" by elaborating on the classification of dharma as 

- dharma is four fold - viz.
1. Dharma performed for material benefits viz. cattle children and other 
benefits
2. Dharmam performed for obtaining celestial pleasures such as svarga [the 
world of gods]
3. Dharmam for attainment of salvation, which consists of realization of time 
knowledge by purification of self, by sacrifice, by charitable acts without 
desire for fruits.
4. Dharmam of Meditation, singing in praise, prostration before the lord with 
love and affection.
And the fourth is the best of all as indicated by the superlative suffix thama: 

[MGV adds not simply thama: which itself is superlative, but adhika thama:]

Dear readers, perhaps, now you will ask why all these, when these two slokams 
are well known, or on things are already known. The highlight or emphasis, I 
want to present before you all, is on the types of dharmam - 

The dharmam in this world is predominantly 
- performed for material benefits
- for obtaining celestial pleasures
- for attaining salvation
- done with love and affection.

Perhaps we can say, again, this classification is from the very famous bhagavth 
geethaa slOkam -

chathur-vidha bhajanthE mam jana: sukrithinO 'rjuna |
arthO jijnasu: arthaarthee jnaani cha bharatharshabha || 7-16

meaning: O best among the Bhaarathaas, four kinds of pious men begin to render 
devotional service unto Me - 
1. the distressed, 
2. the desirer of wealth, 
3. the inquisitive, 
4. who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute."

Further if we analyse why persons do render devotional service to the lord - 
for 
- the distressed need material benefits here and now in this world
- the desirer of wealth - may need wealth for doing dharma here as well in the 
other world by way of dhaanam, yagnaas etc
- inquisitive - by repeated questioning wants to attain salvation
- searching for knowledge of the absolute simply out of love and affection - by 
enjoying his guNaas as in sahasra naama.

Also as bhagavaan himself says in his next slOkam

thEshaam jnaani nithya-yuktha Eka-bhakthir visishyathE |
priyO hi jnaaninO 'thyartham aham sa cha mama priya: || 7-17

meaning: Of these, the one who is in full knowledge and who is always engaged 
in pure devotional service is the best. For I am very dear to him, and he is 
dear to Me".

Both, the lord as well the devotee have mutual love for each other. This is 
what bheeshmaa also said in his elaboration - dharma adhika thama --- yath 
bhakthyaa puNdareekaaksham ----'.

Perhaps what the lord said is echoed by bheeshmaa since there was also a small 
time lapse in between the dates of geethaa [the first day of war] and bheeshmaa 
uttering sahsra naamam [after 18 days of war]. 

Comments on the above lines are welcome.

Dhasan

Vasudevan m.g.



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________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Message: 2 
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 2006 09:22:16 +0000 (GMT)
From: sudarshan madabushi 
Subject: Hello! Are there any group-members out there residing in Stuttgart, 
Germany


Dear members,

I'm travelling out to Stuttgart on business and be
camping there next week. If any of you happen to be
residing there, it would be a pleasure to connect with
you. I will be staying at the Mariott Hotel in
Stuttgart ahd should be generally free after about 6
PM.

Thanks and regards,
dAsan,
Sudarshan 



__________________________________________________________ 
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________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Message: 3 
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 2006 13:55:55 +0000 (GMT)
From: RAM KRISHNAN 
Subject: Salagrama - Details

dear bhakthas,

If some one can provide details about, where can i get
salagrama- Vasudeva ,Lakshmi narayana ,Narashima and
Hyagreeva etc.

I stay in chennai. Please help to serve my lord.

Please provide me full details for contacting.







With Thanks and Best Regards

K.S. Ramakrishnan 

Reach Rams @ 98408 69121








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________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Message: 4 
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 2006 15:43:29 -0000
From: "ramanbil" 
Subject: SRS Vol 7-44 dated 03-16-06 SV 2-5

SrimatE Raamaanujaaya Namaha //
SrimatE Nigamaanta Mahaa Desikaaya Namaha //
SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anupadravam anudhinam Samvardhaya/
SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anupadravam anudhinam Samvardhaya//
KAvEri VardhathAm kAlE, kAlE varshathu vAsava: /
SrI RanganAthO jayathu Sri Ranga Sri cha VardhathAm//
=========================================================================================================================================SRI
 RANGA SRI VOL.07 / ISSUE # 44 dated 16th March 2006
=========================================================================================================================================EDITORIAL

Dear Bhagavatas:

It gives me great pleasure to record that the first course of SV 
classes comprising of 6 sessions was successfully completed. Almost 
all the participants have now mastered the sequences of the 
procedures and the Mantras associated in a short period of time. 
They now feel happy that they have been piloted to the mainstream 
and have vowed to continue doing Trikaala SV for the rest of their 
lives. 

All the credit goes to asmad Achaaryan, Srimad Andavan, Poundarika 
puram Swami Asramam, Srirangam who is very strict in insisting on 
the performance of SV and is the motive force behind this effort. I 
had the Bhaagyam of informing him of the successful completion. 
Naturally, he was extremely happy. 

Many other aspirants have petitioned for the commencement of the 
next session. Some have also desired starting of classes 
for "Tiruvaaraadanam". We will try our best to accommodate them at 
an early date. An announcement will be made as soon as the details 
are finalized.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE

1. IMPORTANT DAYS IN PANGUNI (MEENA) MONTH

2. SANDHYAA VANDANAM -? Part 2 - 5
FAQs AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF VARIOUS OBSERVANCES IN CONNECTION 
WITH "SANDHYAAVANDANAM"
(ANBIL RAMASWAMY)
=========================================================================================================================================The
 following questions have been answered

Q. 21. What is "Pancha katcham"? Why should we wear "Pancha 
katcham"? What other practices are to be observed with reference to 
dress codes while engaging in religious rites?
Q. 22. Is there any justification for the use of "paTTu" (silk) 
and "ajina" (deerskin) tied to the Brahmachaari's "mounji" (girdle 
made of a triple string of Munja-grass) etc. that obviously 
involve "himsa" (injury to a living being)?
Q. 23. If plants have life, how can we pluck flowers, TuLasi, Darbha 
etc that also involve "himsa"?
Q. 24. What is the difference between 
Pavitram", "Koorcham" "Darbham", "Kusam" etc and what purposes do 
they serve? 
Q. 25.What is the purpose and significance of wearing "PooNool"? 
Why do we wear it in different modes on different occasions?
Q. 26. Can we drink coffee? How about medicines? Are there any 
guidelines in the matter of taking food?
=========================================================================================================================ISSUES
 RELEASED
So far, 220 Regular issues of SRS have been released apart from 
Special Issues:
27 Issues of Vol. 1
15 Issues of Vol. 2
42 Issues of Vol. 3
35 Issues of Vol. 4
28 Issues of Vol. 5
30 Issues of Vol. 6 and
43 Issues of Vol. 7
---------------------------------------------------------------------
These issues have been archived for public view at -
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/srirangasri
by Sri Diwakar Kannan (diwakark@xxxxxxxxx)

You may also view the archives at http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia 
maintained by Sri Srinivasan Sriram (ajiva_rts@xxxxxxxxx )

We strongly urge you to kindly peruse the "Regular Issues" archived 
in the "Files" Section and view the Contents at "srsindex.html" (Not 
the individual postings allowed for encouraging "Reader 
participation"). We are sure that you will be convinced of the 
quality of the contents.

IF you are satisfied with the quality and contents of "Sri Ranga 
Sri"-
Tell your friends to join by sending an email to
Srirangasri-subscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

IF NOT: Tell us, as to how we may improve.
Ever at your service

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy,
Editor & Publisher, "Sri Ranga Sri"
=======================================================================================================================================xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
=======================================================================================================================================1.
 IMPORTANT DAYS IN PANGUNI (MEENA) MONTH
=======================================================================================================================================DATE/ENGLISH/DAY/NAKSHATRAM/THITHI/
 EVENT/ REMARKS
=======================================================================================================================================02/03-16-06/Thursday/Hastam/Dviteeyai/
 21st PaTTam (AM)

06/03-20-06/Monday/Anusham/Panchami/
VENNAATRANKARAI ANDAVAN (PPA)

11/03-25-06/Saturday/SRavaNam/Ekaadasi/ 
KrishNapaksha Sarva Ekaadasi, SravaNa Vratam

12/03-26-06/Sunday/AviTTam/Dwaadasi/ Nam Jeeyar 
(As per Srirangam Koil Panchangam)

14/03-28-06/Tuesday/PooraTTaadi/Chaturdasii/BOdaayana Amaavaasya

15/03-29-06/Wednesday/UtraTTaadi/Amaavaasya

16/03-30-06/Thursday/Revati/Prathamai/
PERIYA PERUMAAL, TELUGU NEW YEAR

20/04-03-06/Monday/Rohini/ShashTi/
PRAKRITAM SRIMAD ANDAVAN, POUNDARIKAPURAM SWAMI ASRAMAM, 
PARAVAKKOTTAI SRI GOPALA DESIKA MAHAA DESIKAN

23/04-06-06/Thursday/Punarvasu/AshTami-Navami/ SRI RAMA NAVAMI

24/04-07-06/Friday/Poosam/Navami-Dasami// Selva PiLLai/ 
TIRUKKUDANTAI ANDAVAN VEDANTA RAMANUJA MAHAA DESIKAN

25/04-08-06/Saturday/Ayilyam/Dasami/ 
MELKOTTAI TIRUNARAYANAPURAM VAIRA MUDI SEVAI

26/04-09-06/Sunday/Magam/ Ekaadasi/Sukla Paksha Sarva Ekaadasi

28/04-11-06/Tuesday/Utthiram/TrayOdasi/PANGUNI UTTHIRAM

30/04-13-06/Thursday/ Hastam/PourNami/
---------------------------------------------------------------------
VYAYA-CHITTIRAI (MESHAM)
01/04-14-06/Friday/Chittirai/Prathamai/ 
TAMIL NEW YEAR, VISHU PUNYA KAALAM
=========================================================================================================================================xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
=========================================================================================================================================2.SANDHYAA
 VANDANAM -? Part 2 - 5
MORE FAQs AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF VARIOUS OBSERVANCES IN CONNECTION 
WITH "SANDHYAAVANDANAM"
(ANBIL RAMASWAMY)
=======================================================================================================================================
Q. 21. (a) What is "Pancha katcham"? (b) Why should we 
wear "Panchakatcham"? (c) What other practices are to be observed 
with reference to dress codes while engaging in religious rites?

Ans: 
(a) "Pancha katcham" is the traditional manner of wearing a Dhoti by 
the men folk. It consists of wrapping around the waist with one end 
folded lengthwise and taken around the legs to the back and tucked 
at the hip and the other end folded breadth wise is tucked in front 
at the tummy. The front tucking has five folds. It is therefore 
called "Pancha (Five) Katcham (folds). A Grihasta is expected to 
wear this method of Dhoti always, but most certainly at least during 
performance of religious rites and while attending any religious 
events like KaalakshEpams etc.

(b) Even at the height of scorching summer in a hot region like 
India, we find people attending official meetings in Western dress, 
what with a tightly closed suit and a necktie to boot, all the time 
sweating profusely like a horse - because this is supposed to be 
the "formal" dress code in the said setting!. 

If this is the discipline required to be observed in spite of utmost 
discomfort, wearing the "Pancha katcham" is the discipline required 
to be observed in the setting of religious activities.

(c) There are very many practices adopted by AnushTaatas. We give 
below a few of them that may be noted. (As learned from KaalakshEpa 
Adhikaaris during AnushTaana Granta classes)

(1) A Brahmachaari (celibate) and a Sannyaasi (ascetic) should wear 
only one cloth and no upper cloth. The clothing of a Sannyaasi 
should be in ochre color.
(2) A Grihasta is expected to wear an upper cloth always along with 
the "Pancha katcham. 
(3) No religious rites can be performed wearing a wet cloth.
When a wet cloth cannot be dried, it can be waved in air for 7 times 
and then it is considered to have dried enough to equal a dry cloth. 
This is called "Sapta Vaataahata"
(4) A new "Kaarigam" cotton cloth or PaTTu (Silk) Vastram can be 
worn. Both "Kaarigam" and PaTTu (Silk) are said to get polluted 
(Vizhuppu) if washed with water. On the other hand a used cotton 
cloth that is normally considered "Vizhuppu" when coming into 
contact with Sareeram becomes fit to wear (maDi) when washed and 
dried up as aforesaid.
(5) Eating and drinking while wearing Kaarigam or PaTTu vast ram are 
said to make them polluted.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. 22. Is there any justification for the use of "paTTu" (silk) 
and "ajina" (deerskin) tied to the Brahmachaari's "mounji" (girdle 
made of a triple string of Munja-grass) etc. that obviously 
involve "himsa" (injury to a living being)?

Ans:
The term "PaTTu" was originally used to denote cloths woven with 
strings of gold and silk yarns. The "Peeta-ambharam" which the Lord 
wears referred to only such vastrams. Only after the Chinese came 
over to our land with their wares made out of silk from silkworms, 
the term "PaTTu" came to denote such material otherwise 
called "China Silk" and this practice had come to stay. 

Gold and silver yarn laced cloths can be worn in the place of such 
silk garments. Thus, originally, there was no "himsa", no killing of 
silkworms. 

In these days, we get also artificial silk without resorting to 
PaTTu made out of killing silkworms. We can safely use the same.

As for "ajina" or deerskin, the skins were and I believe even now 
are taken from dead animals and, therefore, no "himsa" was or is 
involved.
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. 23. If plants have life, how can we pluck flowers, TuLasi, Darbha 
etc that also involve "himsa"?

Ans:
The discovery that plants have life is no discovery at all! They are 
found in the Vedas themselves. 

"Our scriptures say that all sentient beings have what is known 
as "Dharmi-boota- Jnaana" (Intrinsic consciousness) as also "Dharma-
boota-Jnaana" (External perception).While intrinsic consciousness is 
common to all in the same degree, the extrinsic perception or the 
awareness of not only things around but also things beyond varies in 
degrees ? with humans having the greatest, animals to a lesser 
extent and PLANTS WITH THE LEAST IN THE SCALE. This is conditioned 
by environment and is subject to expansion (vikaasita) and 
contraction (sankuchita)" 
(Vide p143-144 of "Hinduism Rediscovered"). 

The concept of "ahimsa" is central to our philosophy. That is the 
reason why, Grihastas are required to do what is known 
as "VaisvadEvam" to rid them of sins of "himsa" incurred by them in 
their daily routines. Manu has identified that "himsa" can occur 
unwittingly at five spots listed the scriptures, namely, 
(i) "suLLee" - the Ovens, 
(ii) "pEshaNee" - the grinding stones, 
(iii) "upaskaree"- the winnowing instruments, 
(iv) "kaNTinee" ?mortar and pestle and cutting plate and

====== message truncated =====

Regards
KPNarasimhan
                
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