Aaditya Hrudayam

Aaditya Hrudayam
The Heart of Aditya (the Sun God)

Aaditya Hrudayam is a hymn associated with Aditya or the Sun God and was recited by the sage Agastya to Rama on the battlefield before fighting with Ravana. This historic hymn starts at the beginning of the duel between Rama and Ravana. Agastya teaches Rama, who is fatigued after the long battle with various warriors of Lanka, the procedure of worshiping the Sun god for strength to defeat the enemy. These verses belong to Yuddha Khanda, in the Ramayana as composed by Valmiki.

Thing to be noted is this hymn is older than the ancient epic Ramayana.


The benefits of chanting Aaditya Hrudayam daily

It is a very powerful hymn to get 

+ Sharpness,tejas,intelligent

+ victory over external enemies (foes) 

+ internal enemies (weaknesses such as lust, anger, jealousy etc.)

+ long life and good health, destruction of sins, dissolution of worries and anxeity, long lasting prosperity and auspicious qualities.

Aditya = the Sun God; Hridayam = that which is especially nourishing and healing for the heart.

In simple words, Aaditya Hrudayam is the worship to the Sun God.

Sun

Aaditya Hrudayam 

Tato yuddhaparishraantam samare chintayaa sthitam.raavanam chaagrato dr.ushtva yuddhaaya samupasthitam.1

Rama, exhausted and about to face Ravana ready for a fresh battle was lost deep in contemplation.

Daivataishcha samaagamya drashhtumabhyaagato ranam upaagamyaa braviidraama magastyo bhagavaan rishhi. 2

The all knowing sage Agastya who had joined the Gods to witness the battle spoke to Rama thus

Raama Raama mahaabaaho shrnu guhyam sanaatanam yena sarvaanariinvatsa samare vijayishhyasi. 3

Oh Rama, mighty-armed Rama, listen to this eternal secret, which will help you destroy all your enemies in battle

Aaditya hrudayam punyam sarva shatru vinaashanam Jayaavaham japennityam akshayyam paramam shivam. 4

This holy hymn dedicated to the Sun deity will result in destroying all enemies and bring you victory and never ending supreme bliss.

Sarvamangalamaangalyam sarvapaapapranaashanam. Chintaashokaprashamanam aayurvardhanamuttama. 5

This hymn is supreme and is a guarantee of complete prosperity and is the destroyer of sin, anxiety, anguish and is the bestower of longevity.

Rashmimantam samudyantam devaasuranamaskrutam. Puujayasva vivasvantam bhaaskaram bhuvaneshvaram. 6

Worship the One, possessed of rays when he has completely risen, held in reverence by the devas and asuras, and who is the Lord of the universe by whose efflugence all else brighten.

Sarvadevaatmako hyeshha tejasvii rashmibhaavanah.Eshha devaasuraganaa.nllokaan paati gabhastibh. 7

He indeed represent the totality of all celestial beings. He is self-luminous and sustains all with his rays. He nourishes and energizes the inhabitants of all the worlds and the race of Devas and Asuras.

Eshhah brahmaa cha vishhnushcha shivah skandah prajaapati. Mahendro dhanadah kaalo yamah somo hyapaam pati. 8

He is Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Skanda, Prajapati. He is also Mahendra, kubera, kala, yama, soma and varuna.

Pitaro vasavah saadhyaa hyashvinau maruto manuh.Vaayurvahnih prajaapraana ritukartaa prabhaakarah. 9

He is the pitrs, vasus, sadhyas, aswini devas, maruts, manu, vayu, agni, prana and, being the source of all energy and light, is the maker of all the six seasons.

Aadityah savitaa suuryah khagah puushhaa gabhastimaan. Suvarnasadrsho bhaanu rvishvaretaa divaakarah. 10

He is the son of Aditi, creator of the universe, inspirer of action, transverser of the heavens. He is the sustainer, illumination of all directions, the golden hued brilliance and is the maker of the day.

Haridashvah sahasraarchih saptasaptirmariichimaan. Timironmathanah shambhustvashhtaa maartandam anshumaan. 11

He is the Omnipresent One who pervades all with countless rays. He is the power behind the seven sense organs, the dispeller of darkness, bestower of happiness and prosperity, the remover of misfortunes and is the infuser of life.

Hiranyagarbhah shishirastapano bhaaskaro ravihi Agnigarbhoaditeh putrah shankha shishiranaashanah. 12

He is the primordial being manifesting as the Trinity. He ushers in the Day and is the teacher (of Hiranyagarbha), the fire-wombed, the son of Aditi, and has a vast and supreme felicity. He is the remover of intellectual dull-headedness.

Vyomanaatha stamobhedii rig yajuh saama paaragah. Ghana vrishhti rapaam mitro vindhya viithii plavangama... 13

He is the Lord of the firmament, dispeller of darkness. Master of all the vedas, he is a friend of the waters and causes rain. HE has crossed the vindya range and sports in the Brahma Nadi.

Aatapii mandalii mrityuh pingalah sarvataapanah. Kavirvishvo mahaatejaa raktah ssarva bhavod hbhava. 14

He, whose form is circular and is colored yellow, is intensely absorbed and inflicts death. He is the destroyer of all and is the Omniscient one being exceedingly energetic sustains the universe and all action.

Nakshatra grahataaraanaam adhipo vishva bhaavanah. Tejasaamapi tejasvii dvaadashaatman namostute 15

He is the lord of stars, planets and all constellations. He is the origin of everything in the universe and is the cause of the lustre of even the brilliant ones. Salutations to Thee who is the One being manifest in the twelve forms of the Sun.

Namah puurvaaya giraye pashchimaayaadraye namah. Jyotirganaanaam pataye dinadhipataye nama. 16

Salutations to the Eastern and western mountain, Salutations to the Lord of the stellar bodies and the Lord of the Day.

Jayaaya jayabhadraaya haryashvaaya namo namah. Namo namah sahasraansha aadityaaya namo nama. 17

Salutations to the One who ordains victory and the prosperity that follows. Salutations to the one possessed of yellow steeds and to the thousand rayed Lord, and to Aditya.

Namah ugraaya viiraaya saarangaaya namo namah. Namah padma prabodhaaya maartandaaya namo nama. 18

Salutations to the Terrible one, the hero, the one that travels fast. Salutations to the one whose emergence makes the lotus blossom and to the fierce and omnipotent one.

Brahmeshaana achyuteshaaya suuryaayaadityavarchase. Bhaasvate sarvabhakshaaya raudraaya vapushhe nama. 19

Salutations to the Lord of Brahma, shiva and Achyuta, salutations to the powerful and to the effulgence in the Sun that is both the illuminator and devourer of all and is of a form that is fierce like Rudra.

Tamoghnaaya himagnaaya shatrughnaaya amitaatmane. Kritaghnahanaaya devaaya jyotishhaam pataye nama. 20

Salutations to he transcendental atman that dispels darkness, drives away all fear, and destroys all foes. Salutations also to the annihilator of the ungrateful and to the Lord of all the stellar bodies.

Tapta chaamiika raabhaaya haraye vishvakarmane. Namastamo.abhinighnaaya ruchaye lokasaakshine 21

Salutations to the Lord shining like molten gold, to the transcendental fire, the fire of supreme knowledge, the architect of the universe, destroyer of darkness and salutations again to the effulgence that is the Cosmic witness.

Naashayatyeshha vai bhuutam tadeva srijati prabhuuH. Paayatyeshha tapatyeshha varshhatyeshha gabhastibhi. 22

Salutations to the Lord who destroys everything and creates them again. Salutations to Him who by His rays consumes the waters, heats them up and sends them down as rain.

Eshha supteshhu jaagarti bhuuteshhu parinishhthitah. Eshha evaagnihotramcha phalam chaivaagnihotrinaam. 23

Salutations to the Lord who abides in the heart of all beings keeping awake when they are asleep. He is both the sacrificial fire and the fruit enjoyed by the worshippers.

Vedaashcha kratavashchaiva kratuunaam phalameva cha. Yaani krityaani lokeshhu sarva eshha ravih prabhu. 24

The Sun is verily the Lord of all action in this universe. He is verily the vedas, the sacrifices mentioned in them and the fruits obtained by performing the sacrifices.

Phala stuti

Enamaapatsu krichchhreshhu kaantaareshhu bhayeshhu cha.kiirttayanh purushhah kashchin naavasiidati raaghav. 25

Raghava, one who recites this hymn in times of danger, during an affliction or when lost in the wilderness and having fear, he will not lose heart (and become brave).

Puujayasvainamekaagro devadevam jagathpatimh. Etat.h trigunitam japtvaa yuddheshhu vijayishhyas. 26

Aaditya Hrudayam

Raghava, worship this Lord of all Gods and the Universe with one-pointed devotion. Recite this hymn thrice and you will win this battle.

Asminkshane mahaabaaho raavanam tvam vadhishhyasi. Evamuktavaa tadaa.agastyo jagaama cha yathaagatam. 27

O mighty armed one, you shall truimph over Ravana this very moment. Having spoken this, Agastya returned his original place. Raghava became free from worry after hearing this.

Etachchhritvaa mahaatejaa nashhtashoko abhavattadaa. Dhaarayaamaasa supriito raaghavah prayataatmavaan. 28

He was greatly pleased and became brave and energetic.

Aaadityam prekshya japtvaa tu param harshhamavaaptavaanh. Triraachamya shuchirbhuutvaa dhanuraadaaya viiryavaan. 29

Gazing at the sun with devotion, He recited this hymn thrice and experienced bliss.

Rraavanam prekshya hrushhtaatmaa yuddhaaya samupaagamath. Sarva yatnena mahataa vadhe tasya dhritoabhavat. 30

Purifying Himself by sipping water thrice, He took up His bow with His mighty arms. Seeing Ravana coming to fight, He put forth all his effort with a determination to destroy Ravana.

Atha ravi ravadanam nirikshyam raama Muditamanaah paramam prahrishhyamaanah. Nishicharapatisa nkshayam viditvaa Suragan amadhyagato vachastvaret. 31

Then knowing that the destruction of the lord of prowlers at night (Ravana) was near, Aditya, who was at the center of the assembly of the Gods, looked at Rama and exclaimed 'Hurry up' with great delight. Purifying Himself by sipping water thrice, He took up His bow with His mighty arms. Seeing Ravana coming to fight, He put forth all his effort with a determination to destroy Ravana. Source - Wikipedia 

Deepam 2014

Karthigai Deepam is the festival of lamps celebrated in  Tamil Nadu (November – December).It is celebrated on the full moon day of the Tamil month of Karthigai. Different names - Malai deepam,Annamalai deepam,Vishnu deepam,Thirukarthigai. This year, Thiru Karthigai falls on 5th Dec  2014.

Karthigai Deepam -  Stories for Children

Legend of Siva

Once Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma were quarrelling and claiming themselves as "greatest". In order to teach them a lesson, Lord Siva appeared before them and asked them to find out the exact location of his head and his feet. Meanwhile, he transformed himself into a huge pillar of fire. Accordingly Brahma assumed the form of a swan and moved upwards. Vishnu transformed himself into a boar and started digging deep into the earth. Even after searching for many years, they were not able to find the ends of the pillar. Accepting their defeat, they prayed to Lord Siva that the blazing pillar should establish itself as a Hill.

Then Lord Shiva takes the form of a jyothi (light of fire) on the hill of Thiruvannamali. Therefore, this festival is also known as Annamalai Deepam. Here, a special torch is lighted every year on the zenith of the hill and it is believed that Lord Shiva's jothi will be visible on this day. 

Legend of Muruga

Karthigai Deepam is celebrated on the full moon day of the Karthigai month which coincides with the Krithigai Star. The month of Karthigai is of special importance to the Tamil people, which derives its name from the star “Krithigai”. It was in this month that Lord Siva created Lord Muruga from his Divine Light. Lord Muruga took the form of six babies in a lake called “Saravana Poigai.” On this day, all his six forms were united by his mother Parvathi, and he became “Arumugan” (the form with six faces). Special pujas are performed for Lord Muruga on this day. Lord Muruga is worshipped as the reigning deity of Tamil Nadu.

Deepam

During this occassion lamps are lit all over the house.The lamps are lit for a happy married life and for the well being of children in the family.

While lighting the lamp (diYa,) it is good to recite this.

"Deepam-jyothi para-brahma Deepam jyothi Janardhanaha Deepo Haratume Papam Sandhyaa deepam namo-stute" 

'I prostrate to the dawn/dusk lamp whose light is Supreme Knowledge which removes the darkness of ignorance and by which all can be achieved. '

Tamil song:

'Vilakke Thiru Vilakke ....... '
விளக்கே ! திருவிளக்கே ! வேந்தன் உடன் பிறப்பே!
ஜோதி மணிவிளக்கே ஸ்ரீதேவி பொன்மணியே
அந்தி விளக்கே அலங்கார நாயகியே
காந்தி விளக்கே காமாக்ஷித் தாயாரே
பசும்பொன் விளக்கு வைத்துப் பஞ்சுத்திரி போட்டுக்
குளம்போல நெய்விட்டுக் கோலமுடன் ஏற்றி வைத்தேன்

ஏற்றினேன் நெய்விளக்கு, எந்தன் குடிவிளங்க
வைத்தேன் திருவிளக்கு மாளிகையும் தான்விளங்க
மாளிகையில் ஜோதியுள்ள மாதாவைக் கண்டுகொண்டேன்

the lamps lit symbolically represent knowledge, victory and peace. Muruga as Kumaraguru is believed to have taught the meaning of ‘OM’ to Lord Shiva. Thus the lamps lit on the day are in remembrance of sharing the ultimate knowledge of ‘OM.’ The knowledge of OM helps in enlightenment and emancipation. 


Another legend associated with Karthigai Deepam is that King Bali surrendered before Lord Vishnu. King Bali attained moksha by surrendering all his wealth and himself before Lord Vishnu. Special offerings made from puffed rice and beaten rice is believed to be due to this legend.


Goddess Umadevi

In another episode, Goddess Umadevi once playfully closed the eyes of her beloved, which plunged the world into darkness. All living beings suffered in the dark. The universal mother felt for her folly and separated herself from her companion. Mother started worshipping Lord Shiva in the form of Linga to absolve herself of this sin and to reunite with him. Lord Vishnu, (or Adi Kesava Perumal, enshrined at Thiruchenkode, a unique Ardhanareeshwara temple) instructed Shakthi on the Kedara Gowri Vratam to be performed to unite with Shiva. 

When she reached Kancheepuram, Lord Shiva ordered her to proceed to Thiruvannamalai and do her penance. Likewise Mother Parvathi did penance at Pavalakundru with the help of Saint Gowthama. 

A demon called Makishasuran disturbed the penance of Mother Parvathi. The Mother took the form of goddess Durga Devi and destroyed him on the full moon day of the Tamil Month of Karthigai during the auspicious period of pradosham. 

LORD SHIVA presented himself in the form of FIRE ATOP THE HILL and merged Goddess Parvathi on the left half of his body. This day of Supreme merger is celebrated as Karthigai Deepam. To commemorate this event, every year during the festival of Annamalai Deepam, Lord Arthanareeswaramurthi presents himself as Jyothi Swaroopa to his devotees.


Choka Panai is burnt in Shiva and Vishnu temples on this day. 

The fire in choka panai symbolises destruction of impurity,bad evil and bad thoughts.It is believed that God destroy the darkness of ignorance and egoism in men and blesses them with the light of wisdom. 

Lord Rama

Rama sound is formed from 2 Beejaksharas (the seed syllables) Ra and Ma. "Beejakshara" means the seed syllable which stores that, which is indestructible. Akshara means that which is indestructible.The Beejaksharam "Ra" is from the Ashtakshari Mantra: "Om Namo Narayanaya" and Beejaksharam "Ma" from Panchakshari mantra "Om Namah Shivaya"

Beejaksharam is the jeevan or life force of a mantra and if we remove that then that mantra becomes useless.From Narayanaya mantra if we remove Beejaksharam "Ra" sound then it will become Na ayanaya which means not good for chanting ,moksha etc.Same applies while removing Beejaksharam "Ma" from Namah. Namah Shivaya mantra becomes Na Shivaya which means not good for  Prosperity(Mangalam)The word Shiva means  prosperity which however is achieved only when liberation is attained from all bondage. When Ra is removed Knowledge (Jñānam) is lost and when Ma is removed Prosperity is lost.The Beejaksharams Ra and Ma together form RAMA and Rama sound represents Knowledge and  Prosperity. - JAGADGURU SWAMI SATHYANANDA SARASWATHI TIRUVADIKAL 

Three times chanting this powerful mantra gives the equal effect of chanting Vishnu  Sahasranama.

‘Sri Rama Rama Rameti Rame Raame Manorame;

Sahasra nama tattulyam Rama nama varanane!’

Ra means radiance, Ma means myself. Rama means ‘the light inside me’. Rama was born to Dasharath and Kousalya. Dasharath means ‘Ten Chariots’. The ten chariots symbolize  the five organs of perception (the five senses) and five organs of knowledge and action (For instance: reproduction, legs, hands and so on). Kousalya means ‘skill’. Ayodhya means ‘a society in which there is no violence’. If you skillfully observe what goes on inside the body, light dawns inside you. That is meditation. You need some skill to relax the tension. Then you  start expanding.

Lord Rama

You know you are here now, yet you are not. With this realization, there is a certain lightness that comes spontaneously. Rama is when the inner light shines through. Sita the mind/intellect was robbed by the ego, Ravana. Ravana had ten heads. Ravana (ego) was one who wouldn’t listen to others. He was too much in the head. Hanuman means breath. With the help of Hanuman (the breath), Sita (the mind) was able to go back to Rama (the source).
Ramayana happened around 7,500 years ago. It had an impact on Germany and many other countries in Europe and  Far East. Thousands of cities are named after Rama. Cities like Rambaugh in Germany, Rome in Italy have their roots in the word Ram. Indonesia, Bali and Japan were all influenced by Ramayana. Though Ramayana is history, it is also an eternal phenomenon happening all the time. - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar 

20 Most Popular Time Quotes

Time is precious because it is irreversible.Time is a dimension in which events can be ordered from the past through the present into the future,and also the measure of durations of events and the intervals between them.

Time is success,time is life,time is love,time is everything.Time is the best teacher.Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely.

Great Thoughts about Time

1.     Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend.Laertius Diogenes

2.     Time is at once the most valuable and the most perishable of all our possessions.John Randolph

3.     Time is really the only capital that any human being has, and the only thing he can’t afford to lose.Thomas Edison

4.     Until we can manage time, we can manage nothing else.Peter F. Drucker

5.     Lost wealth may be replaced by industry, lost knowledge by study, lost health by temperance or medicine, but lost time is gone forever.Samuel Smiles

6.     Never let yesterday use up today.Richard H. Nelson

7.     The time for action is now. It’s never too late to do something.Carl Sandburg

8.     Whether it’s the best of times or the worst of times, it’s the only time we’ve got.Art Buchwald

9.     Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.William Penn

10. Better three hours too soon, than one minute too late.William Shakespeare

11. Time is the wisest counselor of all.Pericles

Time

12. Time is the school in which we learn, time is the fire in which we burn.Delmore Schwartz

13. "Being rich is having money; being wealthy is having time."- Margaret Bonnano

14. "Regret for wasted time is more wasted time."- Mason Cooley

15. The great dividing line between success and failure can be expressed in five words: “I did not have time.”Franklin Field

16. "Time is the most precious element of human existence. The successful person knows how to put energy into time and how to draw success from time."- Denis Waitley

17. "A stone thrown at the right time is better than gold given at the wrong time."- Persian Proverb

18. Lost time is never found again. Benjamin Franklin

19. I wasted time, and now doth time waste me.WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, Richard II

20. Time is the measurer of all things, but is itself immeasurable, and the grand discloser of all things, but is itself undisclosed.CHARLES CALEB COLTON, Lacon

15 Inspirational quotes of Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda, born Narendra Nath Datta, was an Indian Hindu monk. He was a key figure in the introduction of Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the western world and was credited with raising interfaith awareness, bringing Hinduism to the status of a major world religion in the late 19th century.

Born: January 12, 1863, Kolkata

Died: July 4, 1902, Belur Math

Quotes and Great Thoughts of Vivekananda

Arise! Awake! And stop not till the goal is reached.

1.Each work has to pass through these stages – ridicule, opposition,
and then acceptance.Those who think ahead of their time are sure to be misunderstood.

2.If the mind is intensely eager, everything can be accomplished—mountains can be crumbled into atoms.

3.All knowledge that the world has ever received comes from the mind; the infinite library of the universe is in our own mind.

4. Stand up, be bold, be strong. Take the whole responsibility on your own shoulders, and know that you are the creator of your own destiny. All the strength and succor you want is within yourself. Therefore make your own future.

5.It is our own mental attitude which makes the world what it is for us. Our thought make things beautiful, our thoughts make things ugly. The whole world is in our own minds. Learn to see things in the proper light. First, believe in this world, that there is meaning behind everything. Everything in the world is good, is holy and beautiful. If you see something evil, think that you do not understand it in the right light. Throw the burden on yourselves!

6. Understanding human nature is the highest knowledge, and only by knowing it can we know God? It is also a fact that the knowledge of God is the highest knowledge, and only by knowing God can we understand human nature.

7. What the world wants is character. The world is in need of those whose life is one burning love, selfless.

8.The Christian is not to become a Hindu or a Buddhist, nor a Hindu or a Buddhist to become a Christian. But each must assimilate the spirit of the others and yet preserve his individuality and grow according to his own law of growth.

Vivekananda

9.I have neither father nor mother nor brothers nor sisters no friends no foes, nor home nor country - a traveller in the way of eternity - asking no other help seeking no other help but God.

10.If you want to have life, you have to die every moment for it. Life and death are only different expressions of the same thing looked at from different standpoints; they are the falling and the rising of the same wave, and the two form one whole.

11.Experience is the only teacher we have.

12.The history of the world is the history of a few men who had faith in themselves.

13.See for the highest, aim at that highest, and you shall reach the highest.

14.Things are not bettered, but we are bettered, by making changes in them.

15.Hold the ideal a thousand times, and if you fail a thousand times, make the attempt once more.