Sri Nannagaru at Arunachala

Sri Nannagaru arrived at Arunachala on March 14th and will be departing this coming Monday, March 26, 2012. A large number of his Andhra devotees have followed Swami on this trip to Arunachala. Consequently Sri Nannagaru has been giving open-air discourses in Telegu most evenings in his Ashram at Rajiv Gandhi Nagar (some 1 1/2 kms west of Ramana Ashram).

He has also been giving discourses to smaller groups in his own room at his Ashram. To find out more about Sri Nannagaru, please refer to his website at this link.



Looking at the Hill from Ashram

Swamiji today, Saturday March 24, 2012



Devotees waiting for Sri Nannagaru



Sri Nannagaru giving Discourse in Telegu





For those of us unable to speak Telegu, to watch a short video of Sri Nannagaru (which was part of a series of interviews conducted some time ago) and which was conducted in English, please view below.

The question Swamiji is answering is:

Are there any qualifications for enlightenment? Is spiritual practice necessary? If yes, what form do you advise?

To watch the video of Swami answering in English please go to this link here.

An abridged transcription of his reply is thus:

“Qualifications are essential in relative truth. The utmost importance should be given to purity. The essential thing is that mind, speech and deed must be one. Mind-word, mind-heart, mind-word-deed, these things must be one. That is the main qualification for truth-realization. Purity is essential but the topmost qualification is that there should be unity of heart, mind, word and deed. Also for enlightenment there must be purity.

For purity the essential qualification must be mind control. Unless we can learn to control the mind we cannot concentrate it towards the Truth that is already hidden in the heart. Where the mind springs there is Truth, which is not relative Truth. By Truth I mean actual Truth. It is absolute Truth!

The main qualifications are that heart, mind, word and speech must be one. There should also be purity and mind control.

Mind control means that we have to arrest the wandering of the mind. Wandering of the mind brings unnecessary thoughts, sorrow, and also brings physical and mental ill health. Too much wandering of the mind is very bad both for spiritual and also material life, so power of concentration is essential.

For mind control there is upasana. Put your mind on your favourite God. Put your mind on any God or Guru you like and please remember his name and meditate on his form. If you like pranayama you should also do it as it will be beneficial, but the best thing is upasana. Upasana means to constantly think about Arunachala, think about the Hill and its name. If you think one thing, think God. If you think always about absolute Truth then automatically the wanderings of mind will be stopped. There is upasana, this is a Sanksrit word and means Upa – mind control. In the Indian tradition most truth seekers and devotees say unless you are accustomed to upasana you cannot get realization.”

Haven in Arunachala Countryside

Today I made a trip to the countryside to visit friends who have just purchased a parcel of 5 acres some 5 kms from the Arunachala girivalam roadway. After making sure that my own dogs would be well looked after in my own compound, I set off on my adventure.

The land is located at Periyarpalliyapattu, a small rural, unspoilt area with darshan of Arunachala. The purchasers a married couple (Philippe from France and Kiran from North India) are now busy overseeing the development of their land. A large crew spent a few weeks unearthing and breaking up large stones, more workers set up posts on the land boundaries which later will be fitted with barbed wire and another group of specialist workers have been busy digging an agricultural well. The well which is supposed to be 40 feet deep is already beginning to fill at only 10 feet, so the workers will have to be inventive in how they continue their dig. Only another 30 feet to go.

Next month work commences on a house, cottages and several other structures. All buildings will be made with local ecologically friendly material according to traditional South Indian designs and concepts.

Philippe and Kiran, who are devotees of Sri Sathya Sai Baba have already been given permission by local authorities to designate the area Sathya Sai Nagar. Their wish is to create a haven in the Arunachala countryside where pilgrims can concentrate on their sadhana in the shadow of the great Hill. I will be giving regular updates on progress on the development of their haven “Greenland”.




Arunachala from Land




Area surrounded by Hills




Beautiful Expansive Area




Vinayaka has Already Arrived




Nearby Pond




Babysitting my Friends' Dogs




The Well Crew




Hot Work on a Summer's Day




Well is Already Over 10 feet Deep




Checking out Workers' Hut




Their Ingenious Outside Cooker




Philippe with Doggies




Posts Marking Land Boundary




Kiran and Phillipe
with doggies Jodhaa and Akim

Thorny Bush

Now that the weather is heating up nicely, my evening walk with my doggies has been pushed back to as late as possible. But even though it is close to dusk when we start our promenade on the Samudram Erie, we often meet with goat and cow herders and wood cutters. This time last year a lot of the Samudram was still under water, but the rains at the end of 2011 were light and what little water fell has long evaporated.





One of the most hardy inhabitants of this area is the thorny bush which grows profusely whether it is wet or dry. As much as I love Mother Nature and all that grows under her loving gaze, must admit to having an imperfect relationship with this type of thorny bush. I actually believe this bush is spiteful as whatever way one approaches, its almost impossible not to get scratched or pronged by one of its sharp needles.





How the woodcutters manage to handle and cut the thorny bush is one of the world’s great mysteries, as even within a stone’s throw of these little villains, I somehow manage to get cut and injured . . . and I'm not even there to hurt them!






The thorny bush replenishes naturally, so there is a substantial growth of these small trees throughout the Samudram. It’s a very popular haunt for birdies, many of whom make their nests in the protective limbs of this bush.






From what I understand several institutions like the General Hospital purchase the thorny bush by the kg to use as fuel in their outside fires. But even if the woodcutters don’t sell the wood, they will happily use it as fuel for their own fires.





The ladies have probably been out on the Samudram since lunch and its now after 6 p.m. A heavy day's work -- but good success and a substantial load to either sell off or use at home.





Off they go . . .

Five Pancha Bootha Sthalams

There are five pancha boothasthalams or designated sacred spaces, where Shiva is worshipped as the five elements of nature: agni or fire (nerupu) at Arunachaleswarar Temple here at Tiruvannamalai, bhumi or earth at Ekambareswarar Temple in Kanchipuram; neer or water at Jambukeswara Temple in Thiruvanaikaval, vaayu or wind (kaatru) at Srikalahasti and as akasam or the sky at Chidambaram.

Arunachaleswarar Temple has a wealth of mythology attached to it which tells of its association with fire, heat, light and the sun. Primarily of which is the story of Shiva manifesting himself in the form of a massive column of fire, whose crown and feet could not be found by the Gods Brahma and Vishnu. A celebration of this manifestation is observed in particular during the festivals of Shivaratri and Karthigai Deepam. The lingam inside the Mulasthana of Arunachaleswarar Temple itself generates such intense heat radiation, that it is uncomfortable for pilgrims to spend more than a few minutes in the Siva Sannidhi.

At one time the authorities at the Temple planned to install an air-conditioner in the sanctum because of the reports of devotees fainting due to the extreme heat. But the plan was abandoned as a result of public opposition – as people felt that cooling the sannidhi would be interfering with the divine presence.



Arunachaleswarar Temple,
Tiruvannamalai (fire)



In Kancheepuram, the lingam is made of sand as Ekambareswarar is perceived to be in the form of earth. It is said that Parvati made the lingam from the sand on the river bank and did penance to unite with Shiva. Local devotees say both that the present lingam is made of sand and that the sand inside the temple is of a different colour to sand found elsewhere in the area.



Ekambareswarar Temple,
Kanchipuram (earth)


At Thiruvanaikaval, Jalagandeeswarar is in the form of water. The lingam is in the midst of water and a spring is present inside the shrine. It is linked to the River Cauvery which runs close to the Temple. Even when the river runs dry, water is present inside the shrine all through the year. Goddess Akhilandeswari is said to have been pacified by Adi Sankara. Devotees consider the Goddess to be more powerful in this place than Shiva.



Thiruvanaikaval Temple,
Trichy (water)


At Kalahasthi, there is no window in the sanctum and just one solitary lamp flickers. No one knows where the wind comes from to make the lamp flicker. Sri Kalahastheeswara is in the form of air in this temple.



Kalahasti Temple (Air)


At Chidambaram, Shiva is present as Nataraja, the cosmic dancer, in the form of ether. Though there is an idol of Nataraja, he is Arupa or formless. There is a separate enclosure covered by a screen in the sanctum decorated with bilva leaves made of gold. Shiva is Arupa here and this is also called the Chidambara Rahasiyam - the secret of Chidambaram.




Chidambaram Natarajar Temple (Sky)

Humble (By Nasruddin)

‘My beloveds, I remember a time long ago when I was still a Mullah. I lived in a small town. I remember one evening, we had finished our prayers. The stars were clear and bright, and seemed to fill the sky solidly with lights. I stood at the window, gazing at the lights so far away, each one bigger than our world, and so distant from us across vast reaches of space. I thought of how we walk this earth, filled with our own importance, when we are just specks of dust. If you walk out to the cliffs outside the town, a walk of half an hour at most, you look back and you can see the town, but the people are too small to see, even at that meagre distance. When I think of the immensity of the Universe, I am filled with awe and reverence for power so great.






I was thinking such thoughts, looking out the window and I realized I had fallen to my knees. "I am nothing, nothing!" I cried, amazed and awestruck. There was a certain well-to-do man of the town, a kind man who wished to be thought very devout. He cared more for what people thought of him than for what he actually was. He happened to walk in and he saw and heard what passed. My beloveds, I was a little shy at being caught in such a moment, but he rushed down, looking around in the obvious hope someone was there to see him. He knelt beside me, and with a final hopeful glance at the door through which he had just come, he cried, "I am nothing! I am nothing!"

It appears that the man who sweeps, a poor man from the edge of the village, had entered the side door with his broom to begin his night's work. He had seen us, and being a man of true faith and honest simplicity, his face showed that he entertained some of the same thoughts that had been laid on me by God. He dropped his broom and fell to his knees in a shadowed corner, and said softly, "I am nothing...I am nothing!"

The well-to-do man next to me nudged me with his elbow and said out of the side of his mouth, "Look who thinks he's nothing!"’

New Ramana Library 2012

One of the current construction projects being undertaken at Ramana Ashram is the development of a new library (to be known as the Sri Ramana Granthalaya) at the site between the Ashram dining hall and the back wall adjacent to the lower slopes of Arunachala.

The downstairs of the library is to be dedicated to meetings, talks and workshops with the library and reading room located upstairs.

Work has been nearly completed on this structure.




Main Front Door of Library


Ashram Wall with Arunachala
in background



Front Door of Library from Outside


Front Door of Library from Inside


Ornate Pillars at Library Front


Ashram storerooms located at
front left of Library


Open Downstairs of Library


Ramp on side of building
going to next floor


Side View of new Library





Photograph of new Medical Building
at Ramana Ashram


Hotel being construction directly
opposite Ashram side gate

The next two photographs are of the increasingly busy Chengam Road, which runs directly in front of Ramana Ashram.

Phases of the Moon 2012

I have previously made postings on Arunachala Grace on the relevance of the Moon at Arunachala, on the story of Lord Ganesha and the Moon, and also a posting telling of a charming legend called Moonlight.

At the time of this March Poornima (full moon) I thought it would be interesting to post the below video which has recently become available.

For the last three years NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has been taking high resolution photos of the Moon's surface. The below video was composed by the Goddard Visualization Studio, by using a selection of the NASA photographs, to show all the Moon Phases and Libration (i.e. oscillation) in 2012.

To read more about this project check out this narrative at Discover Magazine.

Arunachala Yoga Retreat 2012

In 2012 Mansoor will be offering a Silent Yoga Retreat at Arunachala. The venue of the Retreat is to be Sri Nannagaru Ashram (1 km west of Ramana Ashram) which is located at the foot of the southern slope of Arunachala. The date of the Retreat is December 15 to December 22, 2012. (The date of Mahadeepam in 2012 is November 27th).


“The Retreat offers an opportunity for yoga students to recognize awareness, to enter more deliberately into their Yoga and Meditation practice, and to sharpen their capacity to understand Indian philosophy through the study of selected sacred texts. Silence will be observed during the Retreat whenever possible."



Mansoor


"Mansoor was born into a traditional Muslim family in Old Delhi in 1954. In his teens Mansoor, by chance, started reading books by Ramana Maharshi, whose teachings were to later have a profound influence on him.

At the age of 17 Mansoor travelled around Europe and then went on to live in America for the next 24 years. There he was able to view life from many different angles and explored a wide range of spiritual traditions: Vedanta, J.Krishnamurti, Zen, Catholicism, Transcendental Meditation, EST etc. He travelled on pilgrimages, and at times was also actively involved with different spiritual organizations.

In 1992 Mansoor returned to India, discovered Vipassana and then started practicing Yoga in the Sivananda tradition. A whole new path opened up for him, combining the practice of awareness learnt in Vipassana with Hatha Yoga. Mansoor became a Yoga teacher, and has now been teaching and conducting retreats in USA, India and Europe for the last 13 years. His multi-faceted background, and his openness to embrace and to experience knowledge from many different sources, has given Mansoor a unique approach to stir and motivate students from all over the world."

Mansoor will be supported in the Retreat by Clarissa Mitchell.



Clarissa

For photographs of the venue and information about the Retreat structure please go to this link here.

Tamil Nadu Tourism

More than 14 crore (i.e. 140,000,000) tourists visited Tamil Nadu during 2011, marking a 42.34% increase over the previous year in which the State played host to 10.58 crore visitors.




According to the State Tourism Department's data, the flow of foreign tourists into the State was 33.08 lakh last year (i.e. 3,300,008) as against 28.04 lakh in 2010. Domestic tourists accounted for 13.67 crore in 2011 against 10.30 crore the previous year. Since 2008, the domestic tourists' arrivals have doubled while that of foreign visitors has gone up by 50 per cent.

Out of the 14 crore tourists, Tiruvannamalai received (81.05 lakh = 8,100,005), Chennai 1.29 crore, Rameswaram 97.58 lakh, Madurai (84.93 lakh), and Kodaikanal (79.10 lakh). Check out this link, to read more about tourism in Tamil Nadu.