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ThaaraNa Samvathsara SrI Jayanthi Dinam
**********************************************

Dear SrI VenkatEsa BhakthAs:

Every morning at Thirumala , Lord VenkatEsan
is worshipped with 108 NaamAs from VarAha PurANam .
The hills resound with Govindha Naamam .

One wonders why 108 Naamaas instead of some other 
number like 10 or 28 or 100 are used in His daily archanaa. 
Here is some background information. 

The New CD ROM on SrI VenkatEsa AshtOttharam
***************************************************************
AdiyEn , SrIman Sriram Srinivasan of California and
Coimbatore SrI Sadagopan IyengAr created few weeks 
ago a CD ROM with commentaries on the 108 NaamAs
of Lord VenkatEsA from Varaaha PurANam . There are 108
images that go along with the 108 SrI VenkatEsa NaamAs .

adiyEn and SrI Sriram Srinivasan added the earlier write up
on the commentaries of the 108 SrI VenkatEsa NaamAs
from BrahmANDa PurANam with another 108 images
of Sapthagireesan and other Dhivya DEsa EmperumAns 
in that CD ROM. You can access the content of the CD ROM
at this URL:

http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia/oppiliappan/sva

Please enjoy the Vaibhavam of Lord VenkatEsA celebrated by
these 216 NaamAs from the two AshtOttharams with corrsponding
number of images of Sriman Venkata NaarAyaNan . 

Why the Number 108 or 1008 in Naama KusumAnjalis ?
**********************************************************************
AshtOtthatams ( 108) or Sahasrams ( 1,008) are used 
to offer TuLasi or Flower or SvarNa Pushpa archanais .
What is significant about the number , say 108 or 1008 ?

As I contemplated on this topic , I came across the informative 
booklet published by Professor M.G.Prasad entitled : " 108 thoughts
to Ponder " .Three of those ponderings dealt with the number 108 
itself . With Professor Prasad's permission , adiyEn would like to share
them with you all in the context of the above announcement of 
the new CD ROM on the 108 NaamAs of Lord VenkatEsA .

1. Insights from MahA Bhaaratham
**********************************************

" The seeker prays for peace of mind throughout the year of
12 months from the disturbances created by the three qualities 
(Satthva , Rajas and Tamas) and the three (Samsaaric) afflictions
(physical , accidental and natural catastrophies , spiritual causes/
Aaadhidhaivikam )" . 3X3X12 adds upto 108 accounting for year 
round kavacham / protection/ rakshaNam from all these obstacles .

2. Insights from KaThopanishad
******************************************
The second quostation is from KaThOpanishad ( 6th Valli):
" 100+1+7 = 108 ; Every human being has hundred and one(101)
multi-colored naadis in the heart . The one singular central naadi 
(Sushumna ) is for meditation , realization of the Supreme Truth . 
It is also required for the passage of individual's final emancipation 
ascending through the seven steps (VyAhruthis) of Yogic realization .
The passage through other hundred nadis will lead the individual 
into other worlds and other janmAs ".

This tatthvam is central to the individual self leaving the body with
the Lord's help to leave via Moordhanya Naadi to enter ArchirAdhi
mArgam ( the path of light ) to travel to SrI Vaikuntam for performing
nithya Kaimkaryam and enjoy there ParipoorNa BrahmAnandham . 
The self exiting the body through any of the naadis other than
Moordhanya naadi enter into other janmAs and stay as SamsAris .

The actual Upanishad Manthram elaborated in many esoteric
texts of SrI ViashNava SiddhAntham is :

Satham chaikaa cha hrudhayasya naaDya:
thaasAm moordhAnamabhinisruthaikaa
tayOrdhvamaayannamruthatathvamEthi 
vishvangganyA uthkramaNE bhavanthi ....KaThavalli: 6.16 

The Commentary of PoorvAchAryas is : " tayaa naadyaa 
urdhvam Brahma lOkam ( SrIvaikuntam) gacchan 
dEsa-visEsha-visishta Brahma-prApthi-poorvaka 
svasvaroopaavirbhAva lakshaNAm Mukthim prApnOthi ". 

Support from Srimath Rahasya Thraya Saaram
*************************************************************
NiryANAdhikAram of Srimath Rahasya Thraya Saaram(20th chapter)
elaborates on the exit of the Jeevan by the Moordhanya Nadi.
Swamy Desikan staes at the conclusion of this chapter :

dhamanimiha nastasmin kaalE sa yEva sathAdhikAm
akruthaka-pura-prasTAnArTam pravEsayathi Prabhu:

(Meaning ): The Lord , who resides in the subtle ether 
of the heart lotus takes the effort to prepare the Prapanna 
Jeevan commence its journey via ArchirAdhi maargam 
by entering it into the upward facing Moordhanya Naadi .

The subsequent Gathi visEshAdhikAram and ParipoorNa
BrahmAnubhava adhikArams of SrImath Rahasya Thraya 
Saaram discuss the travel of the Jeevan by the path of
light and arrival at Sri Vaikuntam to enjoy ParipoorNa
BrahmAnanadham in the company of nithya sooris and
other Muktha Jeevans .

The significance of the number 108 evoked by
the ashtOthara Satha NaamArchanam can thus 
be understood against this background .

Wish you all Happy browsing of the two commentaries
on the AshtOtthara Satha NaamAs of Lord VenkatEsaa
from the Varaha and BrahmANDa PurANams housed 
in the new CD with URL :

http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia/oppiliappan/sva

NamO VenkatEsAya 
Govindha ! GovindhA! 

Daasan , Oppiliappan KOil VaradAchAri Sadagopan 










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