Driving through the old silk route is an enchanting experience. The beauty of the hills, the cold breeze that sweeps your face, the ever smiling locals ready to help and the protocols at the Indo China border – lots of sweet memories and joy.
नतेतरातिभीकरं नवोदितार्कभास्वरं
नमत्सुरारिनिर्जरं नताधिकापदुद्धरम् ।
सुरेश्वरं निधीश्वरं गजेश्वरं गणेश्वरं
महेश्वरं तमाश्रये परात्परं निरन्तरम् ॥२॥
Nate[a-I]tara-Ati-Bhiikaram Navo[a-U]dita-Arka-Bhaasvaram
Namat-Sura-Ari-Nir-Jaram Nata-Adhika-Apad-Uddharam |
Sure[a-Ii]shvaram Nidhi-[I]ishvaram Gaje[a-Ii]shvaram Ganne[a-Ii]shvaram
Mahe[a-Ii]shvaram Tama-Ashraye Paraatparam Nir-Antaram ||2||
Meaning of the Sanskrit Words
नतेतरातिभीकरं (Nata-Itara-Ati-Bhiikaram): To those who do not Bow down, He takes a Frightening Form
नत (Nata) = Bent, Bowed, Bowing to, Saluting
इतर (Itara) = Expresses contrary idea of preceding word, Low, Vile, Expelled, Rejected
अति (Ati) = Exceedingly, Very, Passing, Going, Beyond
भीकर (Bhiikara) = Causing Fear
नवोदितार्कभास्वरं (Nava-Udita-Arka-Bhaasvaram): His Form is Shining Fresh like a Newly-Risen Sun
नव (Nava) = New, Fresh, Young
उदित (Udita) = Risen, Ascended, Born, High, Tall, Lofty
अर्क (Arka) = the Sun, a Ray
भास्वर (Bhaasvara) = Shining, Brilliant, Bright, Resplendent, the Sun
नमत्सुरारिनिर्जरं (Namat-Sura-Ari-Nir-Jaram): Who is without Decay and is Saluted by Devas and Devoted Persons
नमस् (Namas) = Bow, Obeisance, Reverential Salutation
सुर (Sura) = Deva, God, Divinity
अरि (Ari) = an Enemy, a Devoted or Pious Man
निस् (Nis) = Free from
जर (Jara) = Becoming Old, Wearing, Wasting
नताधिकापदुद्धरम् (Nata-Adhika-Apad-Uddharam): To those Who Surrender, He Extricates them from Difficult Calamities
नत (Nata) = Bent, Bowed, Bowing to, Saluting
अधिक (Adhika) = Additional, Surpassing, Abundant, Surplus
आपद् (Aapad) = Misfortune, Calamity, Distress
उद्धरण (Uddharanna) = Drawing out, Extricating, Rescuing, Delivering
सुरेश्वरं (Sura-Iishvaram): Who is the God of the Devas
सुर (Sura) = Deva, God, Divinity
ईश्वर (Iishvara) = Master, Lord, the Supreme
निधीश्वरं (Nidhi-Iishvaram): Who is the God of Prosperity
निधि (Nidhi) = a Place for Deposits, Store, Treasure, Sea, Setting down or Serving up
ईश्वर (Iishvara) = Master, Lord, the Supreme
गजेश्वरं (Gaja-Iishvaram): Who is the God with Elephant Face
गज (Gaja) = Elephant, Gajasura
ईश्वर (Iishvara) = Master, Lord, the Supreme
गणेश्वरं (Ganna-Iishvaram): Who is the God of the Ganas [celestial attendants]
गण (Ganna) = a Flock, Troop, Multitude, body of Followers or Attendants
ईश्वर (Iishvara) = Master, Lord, the Supreme
महेश्वरं (Maha-Iishvaram): Who is the Great God
महा (Mahaa) = Great, Large, Extensive, Abundant, Numerous, Considerable
ईश्वर (Iishvara) = Master, Lord, the Supreme
तमाश्रये (Tama-Aashraye): To His Refuge
तम् (Tam) = His
आश्रय (Aashraya) = Refuge, Shelter, Dwelling, Protecting, Assistance
परात्परं (Paraatparam): Superior to the Best
निरन्तरम् (Nirantaram): Having no Interval, Uninterrupted, Perpetual, Continually
Meaning of the Verse
2.1: (Salutations to Sri Vinayaka) To those who do not Bow down to God out of arrogance, He takes a Frightening form; His benign however form is like a Newly-Risen Sun,
2.2: Who is always Fresh without any Decay, and is Saluted Reverentially by the Devas and the Devoted Persons; Who Extricates those who Surrender to Him from Difficult Calamities,
2.3: Who is the God of the Devas (Sureshvara), Who is the God of Prosperity (Nidhishvara), Who is the God with an Elephant Face (Gajeshvara) and Who is the God of the Ganas (celestial attendants) (Ganeshvara),
2.4: Who is the Great God (Maheshvara); To His Refuge, Who is Superior than the Best, I Continually place myself in devotional surrender.
Meaning in Tamil
இறுமாப்புடை கொடியோர்க்கு அச்சமிகு உருவோனே
புதுப்பொலிவுடை இளஞ்சூரிய அருளுடை வடிவோனே
விண்ணவரும் திடப்பற்றோரும் தொழுதிடும் அழிவிலானே
உனதடி பற்றும் பக்தர்தம் பெரும் இடர் களைவோனே
விண்ணவர் தலையோனே பொன்வளமைக்கு வித்தோனே
வேழமுகத்தோனேவிண்சூழ்வாழ்இனத்தோரின் கோமானே
இறையோனின் பெருமகனே தலையோருள் தலையானே
நிலைபேறென தஞ்சமென்றடைந்தேன் சித்தி விநாயகனே
A visit to North East India is incomplete without understanding the roots of the society there. A classic example is the life of Banjhakris in Sikkim & Nepal region – the super natural “shamans’ of the forest. Here is what I learnt near a water falls which is an hour’s drive from Gangtok
मुदाकरात्तमोदकं सदा विमुक्तिसाधकं
कलाधरावतंसकं विलासिलोकरक्षकम् ।
अनायकैकनायकं विनाशितेभदैत्यकं
नताशुभाशुनाशकं नमामि तं विनायकम् ॥१॥
Mudaa-Karaatta-Modakam Sadaa Vimukti-Saadhakam
Kalaa-Dhara-Avatamsakam Vilaasi-Loka-Rakssakam |
Anaayakai[a-E]ka-Naayakam Vinaashitebha-Daityakam
Nata-Ashubha-Ashu-Naashakam Namaami Vinaayakam ||1||
Meaning of the Sanskrit Words
मुदाकरात्तमोदकं (Mudaa-Karaatta-Modakam): Who Holds the Divine Joy in His Hand as Modaka
मुद् (Mud) = To be Merry or Glad or Happy, to Rejoice
कर (Kara) = a Doer, the Hand
मोदक (Modaka) = a small round Sweetmeat, any Sweetmeat, Gladdening, Exhilarating
सदा (Sadaa): Always
विमुक्तिसाधकं (Vimukti-Saadhakam): Who Always strives to Accomplish the Liberation of His Devotees towards that Divine Joy
विमुक्ति (Vimukti) = Release, Deliverance, Liberation
साधक (Saadhaka) = Accomplishment, Fulfilling, Effective, Productive of
कलाधरावतंसकं (Kalaa-Dhara-Avatamsakam): Who Holds the Digit of the Moon as His Ornament
कला (Kalaa) = A small part of anything, part of Moon, a division of Time, Art
धर (Dhara) = Holding, Bearing ஞ
अवतंस (Avatamsa) = a Garland, Ring-shaped Ornament, Ear-Ring, Crest
विलासिलोकरक्षकम् (Vilaasi-Loka-Rakssakam): Who Protects the World in a Joyful Spirit
विलास (Vilaasa) = Sport, Play, Shining forth, Appearance, Manifestation
लोक (Loka) = World, Men
रक्ष (Rakssa) = Guarding, Protecting
अनायकैकनायकं (Anaayaka-Eka-Naayakam): Who is Without any Master but is Himself the Only Master for His Devotees
अनायक (Anaayaka) = having no Leader or Ruler
एक (Eka) = One
नायक (Naayaka) = a Guide, Leader, Chief, Lord, Principal
विनाशितेभदैत्यकं (Vinaashitebha-Daityakam): Who Destroys the [inner] Demons
विनाश (Vinaasha) = Destruction, Annihilation
दैत्य (Daitya) = Son of Diti, Demon
नताशुभाशुनाशकं (Nata-Ashubha-Ashu-Naashakam): To those Who Surrender to Him, He Destroys their Inauspicious tendencies Quickly
नत (Nata) = Bent, Bowed, Bowing to, Saluting
अशुभ (Ashubha) = Inauspicious, Bad, Vicious, Misfortune
आशु (Aashu) = Fast, Quick, Quickly, Immediately, Directly
नाश (Naasha) = Destruction, Annihilation
नमामि (Namaami): I Salute
नमस् (Namas) = Bow, Obeisance, Reverential Salutation
तं (Tam): Him
विनायकम् (Vinaayakam): Sri Vinayaka
Meaning of the Verse
1.1: (Salutations to Sri Vinayaka) Who Holds the Divine Joy in His Hand as Modaka (a sweetmeat) and Who Always strives to Accomplish the Liberation of His Devotees towards that Divine Joy,
1.2: Who Holds the Digit of the Moon as His Ornament and with a Joyful Spirit Protects the World,
1.3: Who is without any Master but is Himself the only Master for His Devotees, and Protects them by Destroying the (inner) Demons,
1.4: To those who Surrender to Him, He Destroys the Inauspicious tendencies Quickly; I Salute Sri Vinayaka and surrender to Him.
Meaning in Tamil
கைத்தலம்நிறை பேரின்பப் பண்டம்
பக்தர்தம் கரையேற்றம் எப்பொழுதும்
மிளிர் நிலவு ஆபரண அணிகலம்
மகிழ்வுடனே புவி காத்தருளும்
தலையிலா தன்னிகரற்ற தலையாகும்
அன்பருள்ளுறை அரக்கனெனும் மாசறுக்கும்
அடிசரண் அன்பர் வினை ஒழித்தழிக்கும்
அவ்விநாயகனை அடிபணிவோம் என்றும்
Winding around the river Teesta, we drove to Gangtok from Kalimpong. Watch the video with this YouTube link
Here is some data
On 24th Nov 19 at 1642 Hrs in a matter of 0.62 Sec, 352 Million
On 12th Dec 19 at 2104 Hrs in a matter of 0.57 Sec, 361 Million
On 19th Dec at 2012 Hrs in a matter of 0.44 Sec436 Million
Must be wondering as to what on earth is this statistics
Well, in the Google search just type “God” and hit the “search” and see for yourselves the results. This is what I found.
OMG! So, how and where do I find God in the results that are thrown at us? How does He look like ? Is it right to call him “He” or should I call as “She” or “It”? What are His/Her/Its features? How do I know that He/She/It is God? Well, the search for the right answers continue as long as one’s life exist in the planet.
Here is what I found as an interesting observation that fits my queries. “The one Absolute, called Brahman by the ancient Vedas in India (God – the English name) transcends all our faculties. However when it comes to our comprehension, it comes within our grasp in any form, shape and characteristic that we choose to associate it with. So God is worshipped in any form which a devotee wishes to”.
How about an Elephant form? The answer is Yes. There is God in the elephant and there is an elephant faced God called Ganesha in the Hindu religion. The name Ganesha is a Sanskrit compound, joining the words gaṇa (meaning a group, multitude, or categorical system) and isha (meaning lord or master).
The ancient Hindu Puranas provides an unique position to Lord Ganesha. His supremacy is clear from the fact that even the Trinity, the three primal manifestations of the Absolute, viz., Creation (Brahma), Sustenance ( Vishnu) and Destruction (Siva) are hampered in their work if they do not first pay homage to Ganesa. It is from Him that all other Gods derive power to bless and grant boons to devotees.
Adi Sankara who has composed several devotional songs, praising all the well-known forms of God worshipped by the Hindus, has sung five verses (Pancha Ratna – Five Gems) in adoration of Lord Ganesa, the elephant faced God.
The verses and my attempt to provide the meaning in Tamil will be in the subsequent blogs that will follow every Friday.
Happy New Year.
Life is indeed colorful. All you have to do is just travel and explore. Here is what I found in Sikkim, the land of Lepchas, the tiny Indian State bordering Bhutan, Tibet & Nepal – “A mystical wonderland of spectacular natural beauty with the heady scent of flower-bedecked meadows, the vibrant culture, the infinite variety of its flora and fauna”.
Lush and thick forests, flush with blooms of exotic flora, hilly expanses embellished by Sikkim’s two main rivers, the Teesta and the Rangeet, the picturesque villages, hot springs and waterfalls – just an amazing hill state.
This is the first part of the Series of blogs from me on Sikkim
Commencing from 14th March 2019, at the young age of sixty six, I ventured as a novice into the field of “blogging” primarily with an aim to share what little I see and learn in this world. I must admit that I am surprised at myself continuing the effort till the end of the year. 63 posts with 30 followers, over 2400 views by 1328 visitors from 37 countries and 129 likes is an indication as to how much I am fortunate and blessed in this world.
Thank you everyone for your support and kindness. Wish you all Merry Christmas and a Very happy New Year 2020.
See you soon. Happy holidays
Life is artistically colorful. There is no need for despair. All we have to do is just watch some of the great work of arts. Here is one that I saw near my place.
Between the 10th & 15th century at the region currently called Karnataka in India, the Hoysala Dynasty ruled. The architecture during this period was at its best with intricately carved out stone sculptures in temples and public places. One of the best examples of this architecture is at the Keshava Temple at Somnathpur about 40 Kms from Mysore. Let us watch this wonderful creations by the artists during the Hoysala period and enjoy.
Here is the link to my YouTube video:
Prabhu's Ponder 