Garuda Puranam

Swami Saranam,

Some one asked me about above book, Iam not aware,Can we keep and

read garuda puranam at home?? what is the meaning of Garuda Purnam?? I

heard its related to soul etc., if you dont mind if you have

information regarding what happens to the soul after it leaves the

body...

Regards

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The Garuda Purana is one of the eighteen Puranas. It is actually structured like any other normal purana - explains the glory of the Lord and the creation etc etc. 

Since it is in the form of dialog between Mahavishnu and Garuda it is named as Garuda Purana.

And it is a misconception that this book should be read only during the occasion of any death in the house. We have made our own ideas regarding various texts - like reading Mahabharata. Since Mahabharat has tales of war and killings, people think that it may bring disharmony and fights to the household.  

Similar is the case with Garuda Purana. It is wrong to say that one should not keep Garuda Purana at home. The entire epic is in the form of wonderful conversation between Garuda and Lord Vishnu regarding the meaning of human life. The Lord explains the life of the soul after death. Because the epic deals with death, people blindly say that Garuda Purana should not be kept at home. It is only a myth. One can very well  keep this book at home.

And many consider it unlucky to read this text except during unfavorable occasions. If that is the case and why Vyasa has listed this book as one among the Puranas ? Please understand that all the Puranas are fit for Parayanam and certain texts specially suit certain occasion. Thats all.

Garuda Purana is a more a scientific book of facts than a book of religious preachings.  

He, who takes birth, shall have to die. He, Who dies, shall have to take birth. This is law of Nature. Death is a a natural process that nobody can avoid. A section of Garuda Purana deals with process connected with death, the ritual and detailed description of the journey of the departed soul. 

The reason behind the rituals we do and their esoteric significance are also explained. For example the donation we give - The first object that should be donated is an umbrella (chhatra).  On the way to Yama’s abode, the preta has to pass long stretches where there is no shade at all and the sun shines very brightly.  If an umbrealla is donated , it can be held over the preta’s head as it is taken Yama’s abode.  The preta suffers less.  The second object that should be donated is a pair of sandals (paduka).   There is a possiblbility that the preta may land up in asipatravana naraka.  If you  remember, there the sands are very hot and sinners have to dash over the hot sands to a cool grove that is in the centre of the hell.  If sandals are donated, the preta does not have to walk over these hot sands, but gets to ride a horse.  The third object that should be donated is a seat (asana).  If a seat is donated, the preta gets enough food to eat as it is taken to Yama.  The fourth object that should be donated is a water-pot  (kamandalu).  If a water-pot is donated, the preta does not suffer from lack of drinking water on the journey.  The fifth object that should be donated is clothing (vastra).  If clothing is donated, Yama’s messengers do not torture the preta on the journey.  The sixth object that should be donated is a ring (mudrika).  If a ring is donated, Yama’s messengers allow the preta to travel at his own pace.  They do not rush him and goad him to travel fast.  The benefits of whatever is donated percolate through to the preta himself.  Sometimes they directly reach the preta.

According to merits earned by the departed soul, his life after death is decided. The travel of the dead person to the other lokaas in a different body is explained in Garuda Purana in detail. The yathra to Yama loka is described. After reaching Yama loka one's Papa and Punya are evaluated. Yama then gives the jeeva a new body called yaathanaa sharira - that is a body for suffering. (There are twenty eight different punishments for the sins one is committing in this world.. It also explains the different kinds of Sins which lead to different Hell. Iam not listing it here... If our readers are interested let me know I shall list it)

In this Yaathana Saharira - body which is meant for suffering, one has to suffer for the sins committed.

To put it simple -  the soul of a true bhaktha reach the abode of their ishta devatha after the death. For all others who have committed punya and paapa go to swarga and narakaa to enjoy for punyaa and suffer for paapaa respectively.

After that enjoyments and suffering... they take another birth in this mundane world and again enter into the cycle of Karma and start doing paapa and punya. This cycle is never ending; 

The law of Karma is very well established here and it tells - what janma a person, gets for his sins... So no one can escape from his own actions. Each action is having equal and opposite reaction

(The list is elaborate for each karma - example : Who deceives a friend becomes a mountain-vulture; who cheats in selling becomes an owl... the list goes on and on. Again Iam not detailing it here)

This is what is explained in Garuda Purana...

Great punya is acquired from reading or hearing the Garuda Purana. So by reading Garuda Purana one gets mental clarity and gets a chance to purify himself and help to cross over the ocean of existence !

The person who reads or hears this purana, is guaranteed happiness in this world and also the next world. This gives the true knowledge. And so Garuda Purana is a text which should be revered and not ignored or feared

Sastha Preethi and Sastha Thirukalyanam 2011

By the Divine grace of Lord Bhakta Paripala - this year's Sastha Preethi and Sastha Thirukalyanam - was an unforgettable experience

Many of of readers said that they expected a writeup regarding our Sastha Preethi....

The whole event was something divine and I would call it an experince than an event.

I cannot describe or rather capture it in words...

Every single soul who participated can understand my words very well

In short... I would like to quote the words of a devotee who came from Chennai  -
"Actually we were at Tejovathi (Sastha Lokam)- for these two days... We never had any other thought than Swami...  Only now the reality strikes me and I have to painfully accept that I have a train ticket and I need to go back to my house"

This experience is Lord himself !!!

I have nothing more to say

Swamiye Sharanam Ayyappa
Aravind Subramanyam

Bhoothanatha Geetha

Bhagawat Gita was taught to Arjuna by Lord Krishna. Here, Lord Manikanta gives His precious teachings as Boothanatha Gita to Rajashekara Pandya, the ruler of Pandalam.

This Bhoothanatha Geetha is taken from the Bhoothanatha Upakhyanam which is a part of the Brahmanda Puranam. The words told by Lord Manikanta(Ayyappa)  to Maharaja Rajashekaran, is a guiding force for the mankind.

After fulfilling the duties of His incarnation, Lord Manikanta decides to get instilled in Sabarimala. It is then the Maharaja of Pandalam, Rajashekaran realizes that Manikanta, the kid whom he raised is an incarnation of Lord Maha Sastha. He prays to God for His mercy and to bless him with immortality. Lord Manikanta then blesses Maharaja and starts preaching him with the concepts of wisdom. This essence of wisdom and glory is the Bhoodhanatha Gita.  Listening to the words of Swami, the king attains the knowledge of the supreme.

The Lord has blessed me with the chance of bringing out this Bhoodhanatha Gita. I am very proud in compiling this Gita and bringing it out as a book in print for the first time. 

This Boothanatha Gita is the teachings of the Lord in his own words. These words are not only for the King – but golden words given to the entire mankind.

The book is Bi-Lingual - The original Slokas in Sanskrit and Commentary in both Tamil and English

The price of the book is Rs. 100/ only (courier charges Rs.25). 

Book is Available at:

94 B, Third Street, Tatabad, Coimbatore 12 

aravindsai@gmail.com

Phone : 99946 41801

You may send MO or DD or Cheques in Favour of "V.Aravind Subramanyam" to the above address and can obtain the copy of the book through post or courier

"Shri Maha Sastha Vijayam"

After getting overwhelming response and appreciation, by the grace of Lord Sastha, my magnum opus book, the first ever purana on Lord Hariharaputra, "Shri Maha Sastha Vijayam" has come out with new look and more attractive features. The new edition of the book has more information and more pages.

The responses from the devotees from all quarters was unbelievable that has encouraged us to bring out the second edition of the book with additions. Being a writer and a devotee to the Lord, I know that the appreciation which I got for the book is not due to my writing and my work, but because of the anugraha of the Lord who actually made me write.

The second edition of the book was released during the Sastha Kalyanam & Sastha Preethi festival conducted by us on April 2nd 2011 at Coimbatore. In second edition of the book, which was published only some days ago, there are additional chapters, information and songs. This book is in Tamil, but the English translation had already begun and by HIS grace we shall publish it soon so that the devotees of different linguistic backgrounds and knowledge can also read the book and relish the Lord.

The price of the book is Rs. 800/ only (courier charges Rs.60 for Tamilnadu and Rs.100 South India and Rs.200 for North India). 

Book is Available at:

94 B, Third Street, Tatabad, Coimbatore 12 

aravindsai@gmail.com

Phone : 99946 41801

You may send MO or DD or Cheques in Favour of "V.Aravind Subramanyam" to the above address and can obtain the copy of the book through post or courier

You may read the interview of the author, Aravind Subramanyam to THE HINDU

Mantra Upadesham

Query :

Dear Aravind Guruji,  iam reading all your writings regularly and i have developed a guru bhava towards you... I consider you as my manasika guru and now i have a crisis from which only you can help me.

Can I get the mantra of Kirata Varahi? Can u give me the upadesham of this mantra?

You are the only person who can help... my astrologer has analysed my horoscope and said its full of problems and adviced me to do this upasana

.....................

It is actually very ridiculous and funny to hear that an astrologer recommends the "Upasana" of Varahi, that too specifically Kirata Varahi for a problem with one's horoscope. A mantra sadhana is not that easy as you think. You can directly ask me that you are in need of this mantra if you are interested -  I shall say yes or no.

Or If you are really telling the truth then take your horoscope to another proper astrologer who will guide you properly.

Please let me make clear.... Iam receiving many mails like this claiming that Iam their manaseeka Guru etc etc.... A Sishya is a person who must have one to one relationship with his Guru. And one must follow the words of his Guru without a second thought... Only if a person has this maturity he is fit to called to be sishya.

If one can follow 100% what the Guru says then this Maanasika Guru may work out.. But people leave out most of the advises and conveniently choose "selected areas" and claim to be Maanasika sishyas.

And I personally dont accept the concept of Maanasika guru or Manasika Sishya unless a sishya 200% follows his guru. Unless a Guru knows his sishya well, how can he guide him? Ofcourse there may be exceptional cases... But that doesn't happen always.

Similarly for a Guru - A person who cares for his sishya's upliftment without even a trace of selflessness is a Guru.

Today in both sides we have corrupt people....

Today there are sishyas who pressurize and demand upadesham from Guru.. "if are hesitating to give me this mantra upadesham I shall goto some other Guru." or they  make payments in the name of dakshina and get the mantra.

And on the other hand - there are Gurus who are having an inner fear that they may lose their sishya and so venture into dramatic actions.

A very popular person - may be known to most of Ayyappa devotees - claiming himself to be a Gurunathar - he gave a particular mantram as "Mantra Upadesham" to few persons.  The best part is this person has not even got any single mantra upadesham in his life time. A person who gives upadesha without the mantra adhikara is sure to face disasters.

And some more cases - Mantra upadesham thru Phone, thru email - what is all this ?

Many may accuse me of being partial and threatening. But what Iam speaking is truth and only truth. From many real life anecdotes ive seen - my sincere advise is to stay away from such uncalled practices.

When you have Guru Bhava towards a particular person - first shed your ego and hesitation with him. Approach your Guru directly  with utmost humbleness and surrender to him completely. Only then you are eligible for mantra upadesham.

A mantram  is a subtle form of the Lord himself... and the potentiality of mantram varies from person to person. So only a Guru can select a mantra that suits the capacity of the sishya to proceed in his sadhana. By this the Guru purifies the sishya's mind and pray to Lord to obtain the divine grace for the upliftment of the sishya  Not only this - the guru actually is now shouldering the karmic burden of the disciple ... Now it is also the Guru's responsible to take his sishya for salvation. So he takes up the sishya's Karmic burden and prays for its dissolution.

Please understand.. Until the Sishya gets the Gnana(wisdom) the Guru will not attain Moksha. Guru is such an embodiment of compassion. So, direct grace of Guru is vital in any mantra upadesham.

And so, mantra upadesham other than procedural krama order is not going to give any result.