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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.05 / ISSUE # 08 dated 11th December 2003
==========================================================
IMPORTANT POLICY STATEMENT:
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2903).

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===========================================================
IN THIS ISSUE:
1.IMPORTANT DAYS IN MARGAZHI (DANUR) MASAM
-----------------------------------------------------------
2. GOTRAS AND PRAVARAS ? AN OVERVIEW ?PART 16
THE GLORY OF KAASYAPA GOTRAM - 2
(Anbil Ramaswamy)
(Based on Monograph of MahaamahOpaadhyaaya Sri Srivatsaankaachaar Swami, now 
Head of Dept. French Indolgical Research Institute, Pondicherry and  
?MaharishigaL Charitram? by Mimamsa SirOmaNi Mimamsa Vidvan Mimamsa Kovida, 
Ubhaya Mimamsa Saaragjna, Veda Vedanta ChooDaamaNi Sri N.S. Devanathachariar 
referred by Sri Srivatsankachariar Swami)
Besides the above the following authorities were also consulted for this 
posting:
1.      C.R. Srinivasa Iyengar Swami?s Notes on Valmiki Ramayanam
2.      Monier Williams Sanskrit- English Dictionary.
3.      A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and religion by John Dawson, 
heritage Publishers, New Delhi
4.      ?Who is who in the Mahabharata? by Subash Mazumdar, published by 
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay
5.      ?Life and works of Sri Nigamantha Mahadesikan?- by Prof Sri A. 
Srinivasaraghavan.
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3. FROM MAHABHARATA: ?YAKSHA PRASNAM?
Part 33: Prasnams 88 and 89
By Sri M.K. Ramaswamy Iyengar Swami,
Senior Officer of Govt. of India.
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4.  DESIKAMRUTHAM
SRIMAD RAHASYA TRAYA SARAM
By Sri Sadagopa Iyengar Swamin (of Coimbatore)
?Srikaaryam? of the Board of Advisors of ?Sri Ranga Sri?
(Could not be accommodated in this Issue)
====================================================------------
126 Regular issues have been released, so far besides several Special
Issues) -
-       27 Issues of Vol. 1
-       15 Issues of Vol. 2
-       42 Issues of Vol. 3
-       35 Issues of Vol. 4 &
-       07 Issue of Vol. 5
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@xxxxxxxxxx)

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 encouraging "Reader participation"). We are sure that you 
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Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy
Editor & Publisher
?Sri Ranga Sri?
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1.IMPORTANT DAYS IN MARGAZHI (DANUR) MASAM
Nakshatram /Indian Date / Western Date /Day/ Name of Acharya / Authority
-----------------------------------------------------------------
ASWINI
17th
01/01/04
Thursday
AM8.Parankusa YMD (AVA p.244)
-------------------------------------------
MRIGASIRSHAM
22nd
01/06/04
Tuesday
AM16.Sadagopa
Sadagopa YMD
(AVA p.246)
----------------------------------------
CHITRAI
03rd
12/18/03
Thursday
AM4-SrinivasYTMD
(AVA p.243)
---------------------------------------
SWATI
04th
12/19/03
Friday
NP: Valayapettai Sri Swami-Vedanta Ramanuja MD
(P.463) and
(Lifco p.191)
----------------------------------
VISAKAM
05th
12/20/03
Saturday
AM30.Sadagopa
Srinivasa
VedantaYMD
(AVA p.249) and NP 11/03 Issue
AM40 LNDPS Sadagopa Ranganatha SadagopaYMD
-------------------------------------------
KETTAI (JYESHTA)
07th
12/22/03
Monday
9.Periyanambi
(Mahapoornar)
(P.327)
(28#P & SrgmP)
Srirangam Narayana Jeeyar
(28#P & SrgmP)
Nalloor Aachaan Pillai
(28#P)
-----------------------------------------------
PURATTADI
14th
12/29/03
Monday
AM41.Sadagopa Lakshmi Nrisimha SadagopaYMD
(p.252) and
(AVA p.252)
Koil Periya TiruvaDigaL
(28#P)
-------------------------------------------------------------
OTHER IMPORTANT DAYS IN MARGAZHI
Dhanur Maasap Pirappu:  01st 12/16/ 03 Tuesday
Krishna Paksha Ekadasi          04th 12/19/03 Friday
TONDAR ADIPPODI AZHWAR:         07th 12/22/03 Monday
Amavasya                        08th 12/23/03 Tuesday
HANUMAT JAYANTHI                08th 12/23/03 Tuesday
Pagal Pathu Utsavaarambam       09th 12/24/03 Wednesday
Sravana Vratam          11th 12/26/03 Friday
DESIKA ARCHA DINAM              11th 12/26/03 Friday
Sukla Paksha Ekadasi            18th 01/02/04 Friday
VAIKUNTA EKADASI                19th 01/03/04 Saturday
Pournami                        23rd 01/07/04 Wednesday
KOODARAVALLI            27th 01/11/04 Sunday
BHOGI PANDIGAI          30th 01/14/04 Wednesday
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2. GOTRAS AND PRAVARAS ? AN OVERVIEW ?PART 16
THE GLORY OF KASYAPA GOTRAM - 2
(Anbil Ramaswamy)
(Based on Monograph of MahaamahOpaadhyaaya Sri Srivatsaankaachaar Swami, now 
Head of Dept. French Indolgical Research Institute, Pondicherry and  
?MaharishigaL Charitram? by Mimamsa SirOmaNi Mimamsa Vidvan Mimamsa Kovida, 
Ubhaya Mimamsa Saaragjna, Veda Vedanta ChooDaamaNi Sri N.S. Devanathachariar 
referred by Sri Srivatsankachariar Swami)

Besides the above the following authorities were also consulted for this 
posting:
1.      C.R. Srinivasa Iyengar Swami?s Notes on Valmiki Ramayanam
2.      Monier Williams Sanskrit- English Dictionary.
3.      A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and religion by John Dawson, 
heritage Publishers, New Delhi
4.      ?Who is who in the Mahabharata? by Subash Mazumdar, published by 
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay
5.      ?Life and works of Sri Nigamantha Mahadesikan?- by Prof Sri A. 
Srinivasaraghavan.
====================================================
We mentioned in the previous posting that Sage Kaasyapa?s glory is enhanced 
by the life stories of his 13 wives. Let us allude to a few of them:

ADITI:
Aditi literally means boundless, unbroken, entire, unimpaired, happy, 
immense, abundant, creative power mentioned in Rig Veda as daughter of 
Daksha and wife of Kaasyapa and mother of the Adityas.  According to Max 
Muller, ?the visible infinite, visible to the naked eye; the endless expanse 
beyond the earth, beyond the clouds, beyond the sky?

In the Rig Veda, she is frequently implored ?for blessings on children and 
cattle, for protection and forgiveness? She is called ?Deva Maatri?, mother 
of the Gods. She is represented as the daughter of Daksha.

In the Yajur Veda, Aditi is addressed as ?Supporter of the sky, the 
sustainer of the earth, sovereign of this world, and wife of VishNu?. But, 
in Mahaabhaarata, Ramayana and the Puranas, Vishnu is called the son of 
Aditi.

According to Matsya PuraNa, a pair of earrings was produced at the churning 
of the milky ocean, which Indra gave to Aditi

Devaki, the mother of KrishNa, is represented as being a new birth 
manifestation of Aditi. (Rig Veda i.230, Muir?s texts iv.11.v.35).

DITI:
Wife of Kaasyapa, She is considered to be the very personification of the 
Vedas. She was the mother of the Daityas. Maruts are also are described as 
her progeny or derived from the embryo in her womb divided into pieces by 
Indra. The VishNu puraNa relates that having lost her children, she begged 
of Kaasyapa, a son of irresistible prowess, who could destroy Indra. The 
boon was granted, but with the condition: ?If with thoughts wholly pious and 
person entirely pure, you carefully carry the babe in your womb for a 
hundred years?. She assiduously observed the condition. Indra came to know 
of this. So, he went to Diti, her rival and attended upon her with utmost 
humility, watching his opportunity. In the last year of the century, Diti 
retired without washing her feet. Indra then with his thunderbolt divided 
the embryo in her womb into seven portions. Thus mutilated, the child cried 
bitterly, and Indra being unable to pacify it, became angry, and divided 
each of the seven portions into seven, thus forming the swift moving deities 
called ?maruts? from the words, ?maa rOdih?, ?weep not?, which Indra used to 
quiet them.

DANU:
She was another wife of Sage Kaasyapa. Her descendents were called 
?Daanavas? who were giants in size and constantly at war with the gods and 
created obstacles in the way of Brahmins performing Yagjnas and prevented 
them from carrying out their religious rituals. Among them were Hayagriva, 
PulOma, Shambara, Suarabhanu, Vasihvaanara, Viprachithi, Virupaaksha, 
Vrishaparva etc. (MB 1/65, Harivamsa iii.20).

ARISHTA:
She was one of the many wives of Sage Kaasyapa. Her son was ArishTanEmi. 
King Parpuranjaya by mistake killed ArishTanEmi?s son But, ArishTanEmi 
revived his son and absolved the king of all sins for having killed a 
Brahmana because the king had gone to him in sincere repentance. MarkandEya 
Rishi related this incident to the Pandavas to illustrate the powers 
acquired by great Rishis of Kasyapa lineage. (Vide MB 3/184)

SURABHI:
Literally ?sweet smelling? fragrant, Charming, pleasing, lovely.She was yet 
another wife of Sage Kaasyapa and mother of cattle and of Rudras, sometimes 
considered as one of the ?matris? or as the cow of plenty. Amongst her many 
children was VasishTa?s divine cow, KaamadhEnu (aka) Nandini that could 
fulfill man?s all wishes. She once went to Indra in sorrowful tears to 
complain that one of her children was being beaten by a farmer and forced to 
pull very heavy loads. Indra asked her as to why she was so particular about 
this one son when all her other children were also being similarly 
ill-treated. Surabhi then replied that while she loved all her children 
equally, she had as special fondness for this one who was weak, meek and 
less privileged than the others.

Accepting this line of reasoning, Indra caused heavy rains to fall on the 
farmer?s field so that he was obliged to release the bull from his heavy 
duties. Vyaasa related this to DritaraashTra to get him to be more 
considerate towards the PaaNDavas who had lost not only their father but 
also their kingdom, their wealth and everything else. (MB 3/9)

PULOMA:
She was one of the daughters of Daksha whom married Sage Kaasyapa. But, MB 
describes her as the daughter of demon Vaiswanara and states that PulOma, 
also a demon loved her but she became the wife of Kaasyapa.

She is said to have pleased Brahma by her severe penances and obtained from 
him the city of HiraNyapura for the benefit of her sons. This city could not 
be destroyed either by Devas or by Gandharvas or by demons. But, Brahma knew 
that humans could destroy it and it thus came to pass that Arjuna destroyed 
it in accordance with the wishes of Indra. (MB 1.4 and 3.173)

KADRU:
Literally meaning tawny, brown, reddish brown. She was one of the 13 
daughters of Daksha whom Sage Kaasyapa married. She was mother of  ?a 
thousand powerful many-headed serpents, the chief amongst whom were SEsha, 
Vaasuki and many other fierce and venomous serpents?. VishNu PuraNa from 
which this is taken, names twelve, the Vayu PuraNa forty. Her offspring bear 
the metronymic ?KaadravEyaa? (MB 1.16)

VINATA:
She was the most beloved wife of Kaasyapa. He was the mother of SuparNa, 
AruNa and ?GaruDa?, the eagle mount of Lord VishNu. That is why he is 
otherwise known as ?VainatEya? Vayu PuraNa describes the meters of Veda as 
her daughters and VainatEya himself as ?Vedaatma VihagEswara?- the very 
personification of the Vedas. His elder brother is AruNan, who rises before 
Sunrise. He has two wives named Rudraa and Sukeerthi

Once Vinatha and Kadru argued over the color of the tail of a horse. Vinata 
said it was white and so it was. But, Kadru insisted that it was black. They 
decided to settle the issue by inspecting the horse. But not before they 
entered into a wager. If it were white, Kadru would be Vinata?s slave. If 
black, Vinata should serve as a slave of Kadru.

Kadru surreptitiously asked her sons, the black serpents to wind themselves 
around the tail of the horse to make it appear black. When the two rivals 
visited to inspect the horse, the tail looked black. As per the wager Vinata 
had to become Kadru?s slave. The only way to get her released from serfdom 
was that Vinata?s son should bring the divine nectar (amrutam) from the 
mansion of Indra. GaruDa dutifully set forth on the venture. At that time, 
Vinata blessed him with a sloka as follows:
Pakshou tE maaruta: paatu chandra: prushTam cha putraka /
Siras tu paatu tE Vahni: Bhaaskara: sarvamEva avatu/
VishNu: sarva gata: sarvaaNi angaani tava chaiva hi //

It is said that if one set out on a long journey recites this sloka will not 
encounter any difficulties on the way but would safely and successfully 
conclude the journey. It is with this Sloka that Kousalya blessed Sri Rama 
when he was proceeding on exile to the forest. Such is the glory of the 
descendents of Sage Kaasyapa.
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To Continue
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3. FROM MAHABHARATA: YAKSHA PRASNAM?
Part 33: Prasnams 88 and 89
By Sri M.K. Ramaswamy Iyengar Swami,Senior Officer of Govt. of India.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
PRASNAM 88
YAKSHA:
?KAH SAMAS CHA PRAKEERTITAH??
?WHAT TRULY CONSTITUTES THE MENTAL POISE, THAT IS TO SAY, TRANQUILITY OF 
MIND, FREE FROM ANY KIND OF AGITATION, DISTURBANCE OR REACTION??
YUDISHTIRA:
? SAMAS CHA CHITTA PRASAANTATAA?
? MENTAL POISE OR TRANQUILITY IS THAT STATE WHERE THERE IS TOTAL PLACIDITY 
BOTH ON THE MENTAL SURFACE AND BELOW, WITHOUT A SIGN OF ANY RIPPLE EVEN?

NOTES:
Such a mental poise or tranquility or ripple-free placidity of the mind does 
not occur naturally nor is it acquired easily. It requires an enormous 
amount of self-discipline and a complete mastery over the senses. Such a 
mind is like that imaginary, exceptional negative film in a camera which, 
through some not easily understood process, and in defiance of the laws of 
light and physics, develops an ability not to record any impression, 
regardless of the number of times the shutter is clicked and regardless 
again of the focused object remaining bathed in light and good focus too.

Sage Viswamitra acquired such a faculty through prolonged penance.
When KaikEyi asked Sri Rama to live in the forest, she also bid him to hurry 
and leave AyOdhya immediately. She also told a white lie that his father, 
King Dasaratha would start his daily ablutions like bathing, offering 
worship and partaking a meal only after Sri Rama left. When describing the 
scene, Valmiki says that-

Iteeva tasyaam parusham vadantyaam
na chaiva Raamah pravivEsa sOkam// (VR II.20.41)

KikEyi had uttered words of such harshness and cruelty; yet, Sri Rama 
remained totally unaffected. He was untouched by grief or shock. His 
countenance was serene.

Sage Viswamitra who was a king realized that the effulgent all consuming 
radiance of a Brahmarishi, (that the spiritual sage who had become aware of 
the Supreme, the ultimate reality) far outshone the glare and glitter 
emanating from a warrior king. He decided to take corrective action. He 
undertook a severe penance. After many rounds, each lasting over thousands 
of years, he got to a level equivalent to a Maharishi, that is great Sage. 
Brahma, the creator, who had the power to bestow what Viswamitra desired, 
said that all his efforts had taken him that far only.

Viswamitra could scarcely conceal his disappointment. He looked at Brahma, 
the boon giver, with great sadness in his eyes and heart. The latter 
counseled him to be patient.

?You have conquered your impulse to yield to anger, desire and so on. You 
must really aim not even to register the emotions like anger, desire etc. in 
order to qualify for being regarded as a Brahmarishi? said Brahma.

?Na taavat tvam jitEndriyah yatasva muni saardoola? (VR. I.63.21 and 22)
Not until you have attained mastery over your senses, Oh! Great Sage! Keep 
trying, though!?

It was to such a state of mental placidity that YudishTira was referring to.
----------------------------------------------
PRASNAM 89:
YAKSHA
?DAYAA CHA KAA PARAA PROKTAA??
?WHICH IS THE BEST FORM OF KINDNESS??
YUDISHTIRA
?DAYAA SARVA SUKHAISHITVAM?
?WISHING THE WELL BEING OF EVERYONE IS THE BEST FORM OF KINDNESS?

NOTES
Kindness or compassion on the basis of a ?samatva? equality ? all are equal- 
is a virtue which evokes admiration from the immortals.

In the ?PrasnOttara Ratna Maalikaa?- a garland of questions and answers, 
Sankara Bhagavad Paada says in answer to a question that the Gods offer 
obeisance to one who has compassion.
Qn: ?Kasmai namaamsi dEvaaH kurvanti??
?To whom even the Gods pay worship??
Ans: ?Dayaa pradhaanaaya?
?To him who displays compassion?

Sankara Bhagavad paada also clarifies that a Guru becomes universally 
venerable and respectable because he is not irritated over ignorance; he 
does not look down upon ignorance. On the contrary, to those who seek from 
him, he is ?sishya hitaaya udyatah satatam? He has the welfare of his 
disciples uppermost in his mind and untiringly strives for their well-being.

Sri Rama was an embodiment of Dharma. He was primarily and essentially a 
?sarva bhoota hitE rathah? he was dedicated for the good and well being of 
all living beings.
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To Continue
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4.  DESIKAMRUTHAM
SRIMAD RAHASYA TRAYA SARAM
By Sri Sadagopa Iyengar Swamin (of Coimbatore)
?Srikaaryam? of the Board of Advisors of ?Sri Ranga Sri?
could not be accommodated in this issue
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