ಶ್ರೀ ಶನೈಶ್ಚ‌ರ ಸ್ತೊತ್ರಮ್

ಇತಿ ಶ್ರೀ ಶನೈಶ್ಚ‌ರ ಸ್ತೊತ್ರಮನ್ತ್ರಸ್ಯ‌

ದಶರಥ ಱಷಿ
ಶ್ರೀ ಶನೈಶ್ಚ‌ರ ದೆವತಾ
ತ್ರಿಷ್ಟುಪ ಛನ್ದ:
ಶನೈಶ್ಚ‌ರಪ್ರಿತ್ಯರ್ಥೆ ಜಪೆ ವಿನಿಯೊಗ:

ದಶರಥ ಉವಾಚ‌
ಕೊಣೋನ್ತಕೊ ರೌದ್ರ ಯಮೋಥ ಬಭ್ರು: ಕ್ಱಷ್ಣ: ಶನಿ: ಪಿಙಲಮನ್ದಸೌರಿ:
ನಿತ್ಯಮ್ ಸ್ಮ್ಱತೊ ಹರತೆ ಚ ಪೀಡಾಮ್ ತಸ್ಮೈ ನಮ: ಶ್ರೀ ರವಿನನ್ದನಾಯ ... 1

ಸುರಾಸುರಾ: ಕಿಮ್ಪುರುಷೊರಗೆನ್ದ್ರಾ ಗನ್ಧರ್ವವಿದ್ಯಾಧರಪನ್ನಗಾಶ್ಚ‌
ಪೀಡ್ಯ‌ನ್ತಿ ಸರ್ವೆ ವಿಷಮಸ್ಥಿತೆನ ತಸ್ಮೈ ನಮ: ಶ್ರೀ ರವಿನನ್ದನಾಯ ... 2

ನರಾ ನರೆನ್ದ್ರಾ: ಪಷವೊ ಮ್ಱಗೆನ್ದ್ರಾ ವನ್ಯಾಶ್ಚ‌ ಯೆ ಕೀಟಪತಙಭ್ಱಙಾ
ಪೀಡ್ಯ‌ನ್ತಿ ಸರ್ವೆ ವಿಷಮಸ್ಥಿತೆನ ತಸ್ಮೈ ನಮ: ಶ್ರೀ ರವಿನನ್ದನಾಯ ... 3

ದೆಶಾಶ್ಚ‌ ದುರ್ಗಾಣಿ ವನಾನಿ ಯತ್ರ ಸೆನಾನಿವೆಶಾ: ಪುರಪತ್ತನಾನಿ
ಪೀಡ್ಯ‌ನ್ತಿ ಸರ್ವೆ ವಿಷಮಸ್ಥಿತೆನ ತಸ್ಮೈ ನಮ: ಶ್ರೀ ರವಿನನ್ದನಾಯ ... 4

ತಿಲೈರ್ಯವೈರ್ಮಷಗುಡಾನ್ನದಾನೈರ್ಲೊಹೆನ ನೀಲಾಮ್ಬರದಾನತೊ ವಾ
ಪೀಣಾತಿಮನ್ತ್ರೈರ್ನಿಜವಾಸರೆ ಚ ತಸ್ಮೈ ನಮ: ಶ್ರೀ ರವಿನನ್ದನಾಯ ... 5

ಪ್ರಯಾಗಕೂಲೆ ಯಮುನಾ ತಟೆ ಚ ಸರಸ್ವತೀಪುಣ್ಯಜಲೆ ಗುಹಾಯಾಮ್
ಯೊ ಯೊಗಿನಾಮ್ ಧ್ಯಾನಗತೋಪಿ ಸುಕ್ಷ್ಮಸ್ತಸ್ಮೈ ನಮ: ಶ್ರೀ ರವಿನನ್ದನಾಯ ... 6

ಅನ್ಯಪ್ರದೆಶಾತ್ಸ್ವಗ್ಱಹಮ್ ಪ್ರವಿಷ್ಟಸ್ತದೀಯವಾರೆ ಸ ನರ: ಸುಖೀ ಸ್ಯಾತ್
ಗ್ಱಹಾಗ್ತೊ ಯೊ ನ ಪುನ: ಪ್ರಯಾತಿ ತಸ್ಮೈ ನಮ: ಶ್ರೀ ರವಿನನ್ದನಾಯ ... 7

ಸ್ರಷ್ಟಾ ಸ್ವಯಮ್ಭೂರ್ಭುವನತ್ರಯಸ್ಯ ತ್ರಾತಾ ಹರೀಶೊ ಹರತೆ ಪಿನಾಕಿ
ಎಕಸ್ತ್ರಿಧಾ ಱಗ್ಯಜು:ಸಾಮಮೂರ್ತಿಸ್ತಸ್ಮೈ ನಮ: ಶ್ರೀ ರವಿನನ್ದನಾಯ ... 8

ಶನ್ಯಷ್ಟಕಮ್ ಯ: ಪಠತೆ ಪ್ರಭಾತೆ ನಿತ್ಯಮ್ ಸುಪುತ್ರೈ: ಪಶುಬಾನ್ಧವೈಶ್ಚ‌
ಪಠೆತು ಸೌಖ್ಯಮ್ ಭುವಿ ಭೊಗಯುಕ್ತ: ಪ್ರಾಪ್ನೊತಿ ನಿರ್ವಾಣ ಪದಮ್ ಸ: ... 9

ಕೊಣಸ್ಥ: ಪಿಙಲೊ ಬಭ್ರು: ಕ್ಱಷ್ಣೊ ರೌದ್ರೋನ್ತಕೊ ಯಮ:
ಸೌರಿ ಶನೈಶ್ಚ‌ರೊ ಮನ್ದ: ಪಿಪ್ಪಲಾದೆನ ಸಮ್ಸ್ತುತ: ... 10

ಎತಾನಿ ದಶ ನಾಮಾನಿ ಪ್ರಾತರುತ್ಥಾಯ ಯ: ಪಠೆತ್
ಶನೈಶ್ಚ‌ರಕ್ಱತಾ ಪೀಡಾ ನ ಕದಾಸ್ಚಿದ್ಭವಿಷ್ಯತಿ


ಇತಿ ಶ್ರೀ ಶನೈಶ್ಚ‌ರ ಸ್ತೊತ್ರಮ್ ಸಮ್ಪುರ್ಣಮ್

Uproot the weeds

Whether or not a sapling is planted, weeds grow around. All by themselves too, they are shabby, dirty and at times, poisonous, then what to talk of when they are around a cultivated sapling! These weeds take away the chunks of sattva fed to the sapling, grow into a kind of a forest and end up killing the sapling. Each such weed also poses a threat of growing into a tree by itself. (I was literally against uprooting and killing weeds and refused to do so while in YVFA's karma yoga class. Recently, I've had a much different experience and out of necessity, I did so).

Each such tree then has several branches and a set of end branches are as strong as the decently grown weed. However, they cannot be uprooted the way a weed can be; they need to be chopped off. Moving on, each branch, till the tree trunk itself, needs to be cut investing a lot of time and effort. Still, the roots would remain spread deep, impossible to be uprooted, and such a tree above the ground will pose a threat of fall, even if it doesn't grow! Imagine that for each such weed.

If one thinks much ahead and uproots the weeds at the earliest possible stage, as soon as they are visible, the surrounding is cleansed to perfection and the cultivation grows with little effort in a beautiful, straightforward and healthy manner. All the later uncalled-for effort, resulting in vain, could be avoided. The foundation for the sapling defines the quality of the fully grown tree. So too, for sAdhana, the desires are to be avoided before they grow into saMsArika bindings, by uprooting them like weeds in the very beginning, else they are almost impossible to do away with, producing two ill-effects: the sAdhana tends to die away and one spends lives untangling the saMsArika bindings! Its all doable; faith moveth mountains, assuredly. The brahmAnubhava upanishad and taitirIyopanishad melodiously put it as:

OM ahaM vR^kshasya rerivA
kIrtiH pR^shThaM gireriva
Urdhvapavitro vAjinIva svamR^tamasmi
draviNaM savarcasam
sumedhA amR^tO'kshitaH
iti trisha~NkorvedAnuvacanam
OM shAntiH shAntiH shAntiH

Translated by Shivanandashram: Om. I am the destroyer of the tree (of saMsAra). My reputation is as high as the top of the hill, I am, in essence, as pure as the Sun. I am the highest treasure. I am All-wise, Immortal and Indestructible. This is Trisanku's realization. Om Peace, Peace, Peace.

I remain

In thoughtless thinking
Uttering speechless words
Doing actionless deed
In crowded space
Among still winds
And soothing fire
Drenched in dry waters
Floating on earth
In confusing clarity
Of zeroth infinity
Immersed in deep sleep
Wakefully dreaming
In that noisy silence
Tied by complete freedom
I blissfully remain!

Thoughts 84

84. Color your dreams but remember they are dreams.

Interesting discussion

During my land issue follow up, I used to spend a lot of time every day with the people who were helping me. I didn't have much option to avoid topics that popped up that I avoid, at times bluntly. Somehow the kind Lord helps me voice words automatically at times without really being bothered if I tend to offend someone in the process :)

Here's one such chat in the sequence that I recall now: P is the elderly person and S his son. Of course, me's me:

P: So, is anushThAnA (rituals) going in full swing?
me: Its going on, slowly picking up. Its not so much of an anushThAnA, but svAdhyAya (self-study).
P: So you've no plans to marry or anything?
me: Right now, I don't have any plans!
P: Bring your horoscope. We'll see what it says about your spiritual path.
me: No, no, if I give you my horoscope, you'll check on marriage.
P: Well, I'll show it to a person who tell it as things are, without any biases whatsoever.
me: Why bother about it? Whatever is guru icche, things will go accordingly.
P: Anyway, bring your horoscope.
me: I don't have it, its in Bombay.
P: Get it.
me: Hmm.
P: Well, without the horoscope also, we can find out. We can ask him Qs. You wouldn't know how to ask the right Qs, I should be around.
me: Oh well, if you're around, you'll ask all the wrong Qs.
P: So what is the plan ahead?
me: Nothing, continue the svAdhyAya and see where it leads.
P: How about staying in the ashrama in seclusion for a while? There's a kuteer where Swamiji Himself stayed.
me: Yes, someone offered me that when I approached the ashrama a year back, but I don't have the guts to stay there. I do not have such chitta shuddhi.
P: S, how about putting Bhatru (me) in the ashrama for a few months?
S: No, no, not the ashrama. Let this land issue get settled, we'll get him a place and a house here and get him into grishastAshrama instead or send him to Bangalore.
me: No thanks, I'd rather go to Bangalore than in grihastAshrama.
P: Why, you should get married, raise children who will do much good to society.
me: In any case, what is the guarantee that the children will turn out good?
P: You should not think like that. The children will go on you and so, will be in your image...
me: Whoever claimed that I'm good?
P: You shouldn't say that. Well, don't you feel like getting married and living a family life? Are you or are you not a man?
me: na purusha na ca strI na ca napuMsaka.
(I don't think the talk went much further after this.)

P: Anyway, get the horoscope and we'll at least see why you ran into land trouble.
me: Hmm.

Tricky middle path

I've had people asking me on how it'd work quitting a job, the city, staying in a village, earning on need basis, not joining an ashram, etc. One shouldn't join an ashram with extra baggage of commitments. Thats how my thinking has been. Apart from this there's a very important factor of not being ready for the serious extreme step. The sAdhana chAtushTaya is not a one day thing, nor is it something you learn on joining an ashram. It'd be as weird as going to college without even doing primary schooling! Well, there are other reasons but those are the main ones.

So what is this middle path that I intend to try? Its like trying to build an ashram kind of discipline around where you live. Its a life of building purity in thought, word and deed, especially for a brahmachAri. Its a life of seclusion, without much worldly contact, barring your commitments, focused on nitya karmas, svAdhyAya, satsanga, that increases gradually to fill the most of your waking time. Its about reducing your wants to the point that you could live with bare necessities.

Its not a lifelong vacation or quitting a job because you've made enough money or you want to laze out your life. I left a decently paying job because I find something much better in spirituality. No one would expect you to spend hours with them chitchatting things when you've a neat job, but they strangely seem to think that something a lot more important than that has hours to spare! They think that since you're sitting at home, you're willing to go with them for a vacation or visit them, or spend time in useless gossip or discussing things that you left for good, or are at least trying with all your heart. I was getting so impatient losing precious time in activities and around worldly people, talking mostly about their jobs, family, relatives, friends, problems, gossip, that I took to switching off my cell, keeping off the internet and staying indoors for a few days; that really helped. I think I'll have to do that for longer durations henceforth since if I return online or get outdoors or switch the phone on, I've to get into all that I want to avoid. I don't mind satsanga though, in fact I crave for it, but its rare to find it. There are very few out there who want to discuss religion and spirituality, but instead talk about almost anything else. All such talk pulls you back right into misery away from spirituality, not only during the time that you're in such petty talk, when you risk participating in it too, but worse yet, afterwards. Thats when the thoughts start revisiting the plane of misery even during sAdhana and satsanga!

Its a cruel world with its wants, based on social norms, weighing not what is important to you, not even wanting to learn! I've tried weaning myself away from it, unwilling to hurt, but sometimes it needs a band-aid kind of quick action ripping off, one time hurting and thats that. If that too fails and none of my approaches work to focus on my path, I may have to throw the middle path away and take the plunge on to the other side. All in good time.

Punya

Last month, I took a trip to my native village and visited my kuladevasthAna after a while. I rarely visit temples and thats why there was a delay. There I met the priest (also a relative, btw) who officiated my upanayana.

After offering prayers, when he was to bless me, before he asked of something worldly for me, I jumped guns and asked for adhyAtmika sadhana. Perhaps, thats the problem with asking relatives to bless for a non-family-oriented life, they get carried away into emotions. In fact, these are the reasons that I avoid visiting relatives, etc. So what he did instead is to tell me so: "that needs purva janma puNya". Whether or not the kind priest intended it that way, it suddenly all made so much sense: it does need purva janma puNya and contrary to what he asks for me, the all-loving God will give me what I deserve. If I feel my path is fallen, it sure has due to same reasons, but if I do have that prArabdha, no one can stop me from the Lord's blessing me with sAdhana I deserve and one that is tailor made befitting my very own nature. Wasn't that trip lovely now? Sure it was... an uncrowded, blissful darshan of Lord Ganesha, elderly satsanga and an answer to a lingering question. What more can a sAdhaka ask for!

hari om tat sat

Thoughts 82-83

82. Give away everything you can, so that someday you can give up everything.

83. Its a sin to eat more than what the body needs.


What use are dreams?

Having written of a dream experience in the last blog entry, I tried to think of some simple straightforward line of questioning for use of sadhana:


  1. Suppose you were thirsty while sleeping at night; you got up, still sleepy, and had a glass of water and slept again. No one saw you. In the morning, you wonder if it was a dream or you actually had water. No one can confirm it, since you alone witnessed your drinking water. Whats the guarantee it wasn't a dream?
  2. Someone visits your house after you've retired to bed for the night. You meet this unknown person and have a simple chat before returning to sleep. Next day, this person isn't around to confirm if he met ya or if it was a dream, indeed! You being the only witness, you vouch that you met him, while it may well have been a dream. How sure are you?
  3. If the same person appears in a dream, will you be able to tell the difference between the dream and the waking incidents? Then whats the assurance that right now you're not dreaming of all the people around you; since ages; that this entire world is your dream, including the place you're at, reading this? There's none!

Dream about dreaming

Avastha traya analysis has always been an inherent passtime for me. I've blogged and voiced unknowingly of things before reading concrete Vedanta examples on avastha traya. But what has been of most interest in the very recent past is a dream that brings so much experience in this so-far-theoretical approach...
Few nights back, I'd gotten up late into the night to go to the bathroom and after a wash, I was thinking whether to have a bath! But I was also thinking that its stupid to have a bath at this hour and again go back to sleep. Funnily, a thought arose right then that this *is* a dream and my having a cold water bath will not drench my body in the waking state! Soon I began the bath, the water was cold, but lo! it was indeed a dream. I drifted into deep sleep and woke up the next morning to recall this vividly, yet so blissfully.
Now, only if this experience can be taken forward into a more positive spiritual practice. Only if that happens... soon!

shankarArpaNamastu