Dear Sriman NaarAyaNa BhakthAs :
MaanasAraadhanam (M.A )is done prior to
BhahyAradhanam ( B.A ) .
M.A is considered even superior to B. A by
our achAryAs . We can offer the Lord all
victuals , rare treats with our mind alone .
It is the unison of thoughts and unwavering
foucus on Him that is needed in M. A . There are
three SlOkams that Sri Ram Gopalaswamy referred
to for M.A . The first one , " KurmAdheen --"
is not part of the M. A . in the Sri Sannidhi tradition .
Hence I will focus on the two other slOkams ,
which are indeed part of the M . A .
The first of the three slOkams is a salutation to VishNu BhakthAs
such as the Nithya SUris at Sri Vaikuntam ( VishvaksEnA ,
Anantha , VynathEyA and Dwara PaalakAs , KumudhA and Mukhya
gaNAs of the Lord . The slOkam visualizes the Lord being seated
on a lotus at the center of the dharma peetam and on the lap of
AdhisEshA under the Gem bedecked mantapam supported by
a giant tortoise .
.
There the Lord receives fan ( Chaamara ) service ( kaimkaryam )
from the female attendants . He is visualized as being seated
with His Devis and displaying His divya Ayudhams
( weapons ) and AbharaNams ( jewelery ) . GarudA is
holding the Lord's feet in his hands at the foot of
the SeshAsanam . The slOkam ends with prapatthi to those
VishNu BhakthAs in Sri Vaikuntam in the spirit of
Bhagavatha Nishtai .
TheRemaining Two SlOkAs of M.A
****************************************
1 . AaradhayAmi Hrudhi -------
The anvaya Kramam for this slOkam is as follows :
MaayApurE Hridhi aatmagEhE , hrudhaya pankaja Sannivishtam
Kesavam ArAdhayAmi ; sraddhA nadhee vimala jala abhishEkai :
SamAdhi kusumai : , apunarbhavAya nithyam ( ArAdhayAmi ) .
At the center of the mysterious and wonderful city known as my body
there is a palace and in the heart of it is the lotus , where Lord Kesavan
resides (as AntharyAmi Brahmam ) . I perform Thirumanjanam for
Him with the waters known as pure mind from the river of SraddhA
( mahA ViswAsam ) . After that I conduct His worship with the flowers
known as DhyAnam ( meditation , ceaseless rememberance ) for
gaining the boon of nonreturn to this world of births and deaths
( Moksham ) .
The echos of this prayer can be heard in MahA NaarayaNOpanishad
passages such as :
Manthram 1. 11 : hrudhA maneeshA mansA abhiklupthO
ya yenam vidhu: amruthAsthE bhavanthi ( Those who
meditate on Him with their minds undistracted and fixed
in the heart lotus know Him ; they become immortal ) .
The body is known as Brahmapuram analogous to
the capital of a king . There is a royal mansion in that
city to which the lotus of the heart is compared . The king
( paramAthmA ) resides there . He must be sought there by
those , who need His anugraham for Moksham . This has to
be done by fixed , undistracted meditation on Him .
Manthram 2.16 describes the MayApuri and the Kesavan residing
there in the heart lotus inside the palace of MayApuri this way :
" In the citadel of the body , there is the small sinless
and pure lotus of the heart , which is the residence of
the ParamaathmA . Further in the interior of this small
area , there is the sorrowless ether. That is to be meditated
upon continously . " Such a focussed dhyAnam on the antharyAmi
Brahmam(ether /gaganam ) in the hrudh pundareekam leads
to Moksham . Brahma Sutram too asserts the same this way :
" anAvritti sabdhAth" . Bhagavadh GithA assures one about
non-return to the World of births and deaths , when one
has become successful in such a meditation ( Bh.G 8.15 ):
nApnuvanthi MahAthmana: Samsiddhim paramAm gathA :
NaarayaNAnuvAkam points out the place , where one has to worship
the Lord to attain Moksha Siddhi of nonreturn to this world of
repeated birhts and deaths this way :
padma kOsa pratheekAsam Hrudhayam chApyadhOmukham
--- tasyAnthE sushiragum sookshmam tasmin sarvam
prathishtitham----tasyA; sikhAyA madhyE ParamAthmA vyavasthitha:
Sa BrahmA sa Siva: sEndra: Sokshar: parama svarAt .
That is the manaseeka ArAdhanam that the first slOkam
refers to .
SlOkam 2 :
SouvarNE sthAlivaryE ---
( Meaning ) : I offer unto my Lord residing in my heart lotus
as antharyAmi Brahmam tasty preparations cooked in pure
ghee from cow's butter . These are Bhakshyams (eatables),
BhOjyams (victuals ) , Lehyams( medicinal digestives) ,
Superior Havis , sOshyams ( fried Food ) , cooked rice ( annam ) ,
cooked vegetables with seasonings , curd , honey , ghee ,
milk , water . I have placed them all in different
golden vessels and am presenting it to Him with my mind
( maanaseeka samarpaNam ) for His enjoyment .
At the end , I offer this antharyAmi Brahmam residing in
my heart lotus , betels and areca nut ( TaampUlam ) as well ,
with my mind as Maanasa upachAram .
The examples of Maanaseeka NaivEdhyam of foods
and offering of ThAmpUlam by a devout BhakthA can be
seen in number of Saint ThyagarAjA's krithis :
Thodi Raagam : "AragimpavE , paalAragimpavE
Saaramaina divyAnnamu shadrasayutha BhakshaNamulu
dhAra sOdharAdhulathO , ThyagarAja vinutha , Aaragimpave "
( Sri RamA ! pray drink this milk . Accept this offering of butter and
milk made holy by the touch of SitA , and the delicious chitrAnnams
and cakes to cater to the six varieties of taste. Partake of them
in company with Your consort , brothers and others .
KaraharapriyA: Vidamu sEyavE , Nannu vidanAdakavE
{ Pray accept the TampUlam ( Paansupaari ) and do not
discard me . Accept this with all the spices , as from the hands of
SitA dEvi , while LakshmaNA , with all his royal dignity
holds the gem-bedecked spit-toon in his hand } .
Ahiri Raagam : pUla pAnpu meedha----
Oh ParipurNa kalyANa guNa svarUpA ! Please rest well
on this bed covered with fragrant Jasmine flowers after
drinking honey , sugared milk and butter and chewing
delicious paansupAri and after blessing me. Please accept
this fragrant sandal paste to smear on Your body , wear the
bright flower-garlands around your neck , and accept the bed
prepared according to the SaasthrAs , while being convinced that
whatever ThyagarAja , your servant , does is with sraddhA
and MahA viswAsam .
That is the type of Maanaseeka PujA and Kaimkaryam
that cuts the bonds of SamsArA and makes one never
return to this earth .
The Bhavam and the RasAnubhavam is the most
important element in Manaseeka ArAdhanam to
secure the Lord's anugraham .
RaamAnuja Daasan ,
Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan .
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