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SrimatE Raamaanujaaya Namaha //
SrimatE Nigamaanta Mahaa Desikaaya Namaha //
SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anupadravam anudhinam Samvardhaya/
SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anupadravam anudhinam Samvardhaya//
KAvEri VardhathAm kAlE, kAlE varshathu vAsava: /
SrI RanganAthO jayathu Sri Ranga Sri cha VardhathAm//
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SRI RANGA SRI VOL.06 / ISSUE # 08 dated 01/09/05
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EDITORIAL

TIRUPPAAVAI DISCOURSES
A series of Tiruppavai discourses by the undersigned was commenced on 18th 
of last month when only the Avataarikai (Introduction) was covered. Due to 
year-end holidays when most would be out of town, there were no 
KaalakshEpams on 25th December 2004 and 1st January 2005. Yesterday, we 
commenced the ?Pravesam? (entrance) to the devotional outburst of the God 
intoxicated bridal mystic Sri AndaL covering the first and second Paasurams. 
(Margazhi ThingaL and (vaiyattu vaazhvwwrgaaL). Bhagavatas who arranged for 
the series have also arranged for The FREE Conference call facility so that 
those who could not attend personally could listen to the discourses in the 
comfort of their homes. The series will be from 4.00 pm to 6.00 pm every 
Saturday for about 8 weeks and it is proposed to have the FREE Conference 
call facility during the forthcoming talks also. The Dial-in Number and the 
Participant Access Code will be announced separately for each of talks in 
?Sri Ranga Sri?. Bhagavatas are requested look for the announcements, mark 
their calendars and participate in the proceedings. More importantly, your 
valued feedback will be very much appreciated.
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THONDAR ADIPPODI AZHWAR AND ANDAL:
Since yesterday also marked the Tirunakshatram of ThoNDar aDIP poDI Azhwar 
(TAP)
a comparison between him and AndaL was also attempted, for example:
·       Like TAP who offered his ?Tirumaalai?, AndaL offered her ?Paamaalai?.
·       Like TAP who did Pushpa Kainkaryam, AndaL also offered the ?Poomaalai? 
she 
wore in the first place and the Lord relished it.
·       Like TAP who gave a wake-up call to Lord, AndaL in her Tiruppaavai 
offered 
a wake up call to her peers, to NandagOpan, YasOda, Nappinnai, Baladeva and 
finally the Lord Himself.
·       Like TAP who was totally dedicated to Lord Ranganatha?s ?Pachaimaa 
malai 
pOl mEni?, AndaL dedicated not only her compositions but also gave herself 
up to the Lord and, indeed, became his consort.

But, there were a few contrasts also:
·       Unlike TAP was smitten with remorse due to his straying away in his 
life 
for a while, AndaL had an immaculate career from the moment of her 
appearance in the TuLasi pit of Periyaazhwar till she merged in the image of 
Lord Ranganatha.
·       In fact, perhaps for the reason of his detour into the mundane, TAP was 
disgusted with the pangs of life on earth he said ?aadalaal piravi vENDEn? 
(Therefore, I do not want to be born again on this earth), AndaL was quite 
sanguine bubbling with hope and enthusiasm and there was no tinge of 
distaste for life on earth. May be, this is due to the fact that she was the 
very incarnation of mother earth and how could she hate herself!
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IN THIS ISSUE:
1.      IMPORTANT DAYS IN THAI (MAKARA) MONTH
2.      DESIKAMRUTAM SRIMAD RAHASYA TRAYA SARAM
(SRI SADAGOPAN IYENGAR SWAMI, SRIKARYAM SWAMI OF SDDS & SRS, COIMBATORE)
3.      ?TRIMURTIS?- IN NAMMAZHWAR?S TIRUVOIMOZHI- PART 5
(SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)
4.      FROM MAHABHARATA: ?YAKSHA PRASNAM?- PART 53: PRASNAM 120
(SRI M.K. RAMASWAMY IYENGAR SWAMI)
(SENIOR OFFICER OF GOVT. OF INDIA)
======================================================================
154 Regular issues have been released, so far besides several Special 
Issues) ?
- 27 Issues of Vol. 1
- 15 Issues of Vol. 2
- 42 Issues of Vol. 3
- 35 Issues of Vol. 4
- 28 Issues of Vol. 5 &
- 07 Issues of Vol. 6
These issues have been archived for public view at -
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/srirangasri
by Sri Diwakar Kannan (diwakark@xxxx)
You may also view the archives at http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia maintained
by Sri Srinivasan Sriram (ajiva_rts@xxxx)

We strongly urge you to kindly peruse the "Regular Issues" archived in the 
?Files? Section and view the Contents at ?srsindex.html? (Not the individual 
postings allowed for encouraging "Reader participation"). We are sure that 
You will be convinced of the quality of the contents.

IF you are satisfied with the quality and contents of
?Sri Ranga Sri?-
Tell your friends to join by sending an email to
Srirangasri-subscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

IF NOT: Tell us, as to how we may improve.

Ever at your service

Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy,
Editor & Publisher,
?Sri Ranga Sri?
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IMPORTANT DAYS IN MARGAZHU (DHANUR) MONTH
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DATE/ENGLISH)/DAY/NAKSHATRAM/ (THITHI)/ EVENT/ REMARKS
01/01/14/05/Friday/Satayam/Chaturti/MAKARA SANKRANTI=PONGAL+ UttarayaNa
                                                PuNyakaalam
08/01.21.05/Friday/RohiNi/ Ekaadasi/ Sukla Paksha Sarva Bheeshma Ekaadasi
10/01.23.05/Sunday/Tiruvadirai/TrayOdasi/AM38=Srinivasa Satakopa YMD
11/01.24.05/Monday/Punarpoosam/Chaturdasi/POURNAMI VRATAM, EMBAAR,
ChoTTai         NambigaL
14/01.27.05/Thursday/Magam/Dviteeyai/TIRUMAZHISAI AZHWAR
18/01.31.05/Monday/Hastam/ShashTi/KOORATHAAZHWAAN, PuthankoTTam Swami 
                                                                (p435)
20/02.02.05/Wednesday/Swati/ AshTami/ABHINAVA DESIKAR UTTAMUR SWAMI
21/02.03.05/Thursday/Visakam/Navami Gopaala Taata Desikan Swami (p343)
23/02.05.05/Saturday/Moolam/ Ekaadasi/KRISHNA PAKSHA SARVA EKAADASI
26/02.08.05/Tuesday/Amavasya/Chaturdasi/THAI AMAAVAASYAI,
                        AM 3=Sriraghava Satakopa YMD, Paraankusa Swami (p343)
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DESIKAMRUTAM
        SRIMAD RAHASYA TRAYA SARAM
(SRI SADAGOPAN IYENGAR SWAMI, SRIKARYAM SWAMI OF SDDS & SRS, COIMBATORE)
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The Three Tenets-9

We saw that Prakriti or Matter consists of 24 Elements or "Tattvam"s- viz.,
Basic Matter,
Mahat,
Ahankaaram,
Five Tanmaatrams (Sabda Tanmaatram, Sparsa Tanmaatram, Roopa Tanmaatram, 
Rasa Tanmaatram and Gandha Tanmaatram
Five Elements (Earth, Fire, Water, Akaasam and Air) and
Eleven senses (Five Senses of Knowledge, Five more of Action and the Mind)

Each of these elements is distinct and different from the other, as can be 
seen from their respective definitions. For instance, Basic Matter or Moola 
Prakriti is defined as consisting of three Gunas (Sattvam, Rajas and Tamas) in 
equal proportions-"Sama traigunyaa Moola Prakriti:". Similar definitions 
delineate the differences among each of the twenty-four Elements.

Clarifying the nature of Suddha Satvam, of which Sri Vaikunttam is made, 
Swami Desikan tells us that the regions of Suddha Satvam are located above and 
beyond the worlds of base matter. "Aditya varnam tamasa: parastaat" (Purusha 
Sooktam), "tamasa: paramo dhaataa Shankha Chakra Gadaadhara:" (Mandodari on Sri 
Rama, in Srimad Ramayanam) etc. are some of the scriptural texts which ascribe 
to Suddha Sattvam an exalted and elite place, beyond the pale of gloom, 
physical and otherwise.

Following the practice of describing the Svaroopam, Stithi and Pravritti of 
the three kinds of Achetanams, Swami Desikan, having enlightened us as to the 
nature and existence of Matter, now goes on to lay down its activity.

The Activity of Prakriti is to undergo change. When such modification causes 
the three qualities of Sattvam, Rajas and Tamas to remain equal and balanced, 
what results is Pralayam or the Cosmic Deluge. When the change in Prakriti 
results inimbalance in the three Gunas, Creation results. This Creation, as we 
have  seen, is for the purpose of

1) endowing bound souls with bodies so that they experience the good and bad
effects of their accumulated Karma, and

2) affording sporting pleasure ("Leelaa Rasam") to the Lord.

Due to the play of Rajas and Tamas, bound souls fail to perceive the truth 
of things as they are and labor under misconceptions like identity of body and
soul, independence of the bound soul, etc., resulting in the Jeevas 
undergoing varied experiences, good and bad, through their bodies.

However, when Rajas and Tamas subside and Sattvam predominates, the same 
Matter enables the Jeevatma to realize the true nature of things and to 
endeavor to rid itself of the pernicious cycle of births and deaths. Thus, the 
same Matter, depending on which particular component preponderates, leads both 
to bondage and salvation.

All these, whether they be the miserable antics of the bound soul, or its
efforts at liberation, provide the Lord with amusement and entertainment, 
indulging His "Leela Rasam".

Having seen the Nature, Existence and Activity of Prakriti, we move on to 
those of the next component of Achetanams - viz., Suddha Satvam.

Suddha Satvam differs from Prakriti, in that it is of unalloyed purity,
uncontaminated by even a touch of Rajas and Tamas. Similarly, it is the 
material of which all the structures in Sri Vaikunttam, all the eternal 
inhabitants of Paramapadam, are made of. Even the Lord's own divine form, that 
of the Para Vasudeva, is of this pure and luminous material. This is in 
contrast with Prakriti, which forms the material out of which all things 
perishable, like human and other mundane forms, are fashioned.

Bodies or objects made of Suddha Sattvam are eternal or ephemeral, depending
upon the will of the Lord. For instance, though His tirumeni during the 
Avataras is indeed of Suddha Sattvam, due to the Lord's divine will, it comes 
to an  end after the required period of time and exists no more. On the other 
hand, all  the structures and citizens of Sri Vaikunttam are eternal and 
imperishable, because Emperuman wills them to be so.

How does Suddha Satvam differ in its activity, from the other types of
Achetanams?

It changes and modifies itself, for the sole purpose of providing pleasure 
to the Lord and Master and to afford newer and newer opportunities for service, 
to the Celestials. For instance, when a Nitya desires to worship Emperuman with 
a beautiful lotus, Suddha Satvam instantly transforms itself into such a 
bloom, providing the Nitya with the instrument of Kainkaryam. Since such 
Kainkaryam  is performed for the Lord's pleasure, the modification in Suddha 
Sattvam as aforesaid, serves the purpose of pleasing the Paramapadanathan too.

Having dealt comprehensively with the Prakriti and Suddha Satvam and their
respective nature, existence and activity, Swami Desikan moves on to the 
third component of Achetanams (Non-sentients), viz., Kaalam.

The nature of Time, which distinguishes it from other objects, is being
Non-sentient ("Jadam") and All-pervasive ("Vibhu"). It is thus different 
from Prakriti, which is non-sentient but not all pervasive and from Isvara, who 
is all pervasive but not non-sentient. Time is eternal and ever lasting. And 
how does Kaalam act? Through its various divisions like second, minute, hour, 
day, month, year, etc., Time aids in the process of Creation, Destruction, etc.
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?TRIMURTIS?- IN NAMMAZHWAR?S TIRUVOIMOZHI- PART 5
        (SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARIAR SWAMI OF CHICAGO)
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tri-mUrti-s in tiruvAimozhi ? Part 5.

1.9.5: (7)

                okkalai vaittu mulaip-pAl uN enRu tandiDa vA?ngi
                Sekka?n-cega anRu avaL pAl uyir Sega uNDa perumAn
                nakka pirAnODu ayanum indiranum mudalAga
                okkavum tORRiya ISan mAyan en ne?njil uLAnE.

In this pASuram, AzhvAr describes bhagavAn?s leelA of climbing on to the 
waist of pUtanA and sucking her life out of her breast.  This same bhagavAn 
now gets on to the waist of nammAzhvAr, and then enters nammAzhvAr?s heart 
and happily lives there, giving intense enjoyment to AzhvAr.  AzhvAr points 
out that the One who created the likes of rudra, brahmA and indra, and the 
One who demonstrated His control of samhAra (destruction) by sucking the 
life out of pUtanA, the powerful demoness even while He was in the form of a 
tiny child in the cradle, is the One Who has blessed him with presence in 
his heart now.

okkalai vaittu ? Placing the child kRshNa in her waist.

mulaip pAl uN enRu tandiDa ? With the venomous intent of killing Him, she 
offered her breast milk to Him.

vA?ngi ? With the same deceit, child kRshNa grasped her breast as if with 
eagerness, just to suck her life out of her.

Or, just as pUtanA would not hope to live if she did not succeed in giving 
Him her poisoned breast milk, He also grasped at her breast as if He won?t 
live without drinking her ?milk? (her life).

Sekkac cega enRu ? In tamizh, the phrase ?Sekkac cevEl enRu? is used to 
denote ?deep reddish color?.  Multiple interpretations are given for this 
phrase in the context of this pASuram.

-          BhagavAn is angry that pUtanA is deceitfully coming to Him, and 
so He is red with anger.
-          Just as she is deceitful, He is also deceitfully going to accept 
her ?offer? of mulaip pAl, and is going to suck her life in the process.  So 
He is happy, and it is showing as ?reddish? tinge on Him.
-          He was smiling at this deceit of pUtanA, and his reddish lips 
were showing glee at this opportunity to get rid of one more evil demoness.

Sekkam ? This can refer to ?death? (SAvu?);  Sekkam ? The death that she 
intended for Him, ?Sega? ? causing it to end with her instead.  Thus, 
?Sekkam Sega? can be interpreted as ?Child kRshNa drank her breast milk to 
ensure that the death that pUtanA intended for Him, instead ended with her 
death?.

Sekkam ? anger.  His anger that caused her to be destroyed (Sega).

avaL pAl uyir Sega:

-          ?avaL pAl? can be taken together, and the phrase ?avaL pAl uyir 
Sega? can mean ?to ensure that the life that is in her is destroyed?.
-          ?avaL pAl, uyir Sega? can also be taken to mean ?Her milk (pAl), 
and her life (uyir), were both sucked out, so that they were both destroyed?

uNDa perumAn ? The Lord Who thus drank her milk, and in the process, her 
life.

nakka pirAnODu ayanum indiranum mudalAga  ?  (It is this same emperumAn ? 
Lord kRshNa) Who created rudra, brahmA, indra, etc.

nakka pirAn-  refers to Siva, who is known as ?nagnan? ? one without dress.  
The reasons given are:  He is one who has forsaken all interest in 
everything, or he even forgets his own self.  ?pirAn? means ?Lord, Master?.  
Siva is called ?pirAn? here because there are those who worship him to get 
limited benefits in life, as distinguished from brahmA and indra, who are 
not worshipped to the same extent.  AzhvAr points out that this Siva is also 
created by the same ISan, the mAyan, Lord kRshNa, who created the four-faced 
brahmA and everything else in al the universes.  He not only created Siva, 
but Siva?s father as well ? brahmA, in addition to the ones that followed 
Siva ? such as indra.

ayan ? a-jan ? He who was born from vishNu (?a? refers to vishNu).

okkavum tORRiya - means that He created these (Siva, brahmA, indra, etc), 
just the same as He created all the other  jIva-s, subject to their karma-s, 
just like every other creation ? nothing different about them, except that 
they have their temporary positions because of their good karma-s in 
previous births, and will fall back to their next lives after their current 
lifetime is over.

mAyan ? One Who has to His credit all kinds of acts that one can only wonder 
about, and keep enjoying.   One who created everything in all these 
Universes by His mere sankalpam, and with nothing else to assist Him.

ISan ? One Who is the Lord of all the Universes.

en ne?njil uLAnE - My Lord kRshNa, the mAyan, ISan, the One who got to 
pUtAnA?s waist, and then got to her breast and sucked her life out of her, 
now got to my waist, and then climbed to my heart, and then resides there 
permanently.

Being a small child in the cradle, He got rid of the very powerful demoness 
pUtanA just as a child?s play.  By this, He is just giving an indication 
that He is the Destroyer of all when the time comes for that.  In other 
words, bhagavAn is the Ultimate Destroyer, just as He is the Ultimate 
Creator, and the Ultimate Protector.   pUtanA tried to destroy Lord kRshNa 
Who is the Cause of everything, and instead He protected everything else by 
just destroying that one life of pUtanA.

The term that svAmi deSikan uses to capture the gist of this pASuram is 
?citte klpta praveSam?  (mAyan en ne?njil uLAnE) ? bhagavAn has entered into 
nammAzhvAr?s mind.  Just as pirATTi has taken Her place in bhagavAn?s vaksha 
sthalam never to leave Him ever, so also bhagavAn has taken His place in 
nammAzhvAr?s heart and mind, never to leave him ever.

1.9.9: (8)

              kamalak kaNNan en kaNNin uLLAn kANban avan kaNgaLAlE
              amala?ngaL Aga vizhikkum aim-pulanum avan mUrti
              kamalattu ayan nambi tannai kaN nudalAnoDum tORRi
              amalat ?deivattODu ulagam Akki en neRRi uLAnE.

In this pASuram, AzhvAr points out that bhagavAn, who created brahmA, Siva, 
the different deva-s, and all the other beings of the different universes, 
is now giving AzhvAr constant and uninterrupted darSanam in front of his 
eyes.  This is possible for nammAzhvAr because he is not under the control 
of his indriya-s, but instead, his indriya-s are under his full and total 
control.  So he is able to enjoy bhagavAn completely with all his senses.

The saying that ?bhagavAn cannot be seen by our physical eyes?, is true in 
our cases, but not in the case of AzhvAr.  The veda declares ? ?na mAmsa 
cakshurapi vIkshate tam; na cakshur-gRhyate? ? The human eyes are not able 
to see Him.  Well, the vedic statement does not apply to nammAzhvAr, because 
bhagavAn has willed so.   BhagavAn has blessed nammAzhvAr with the kaTAksham 
of His lotus-like beautiful eyes, and in the process, has removed all 
limitations of nammAzhvAr, including the influence of ?unfettered? indriya-s 
that is true in our cases.  Now AzhvAr can see bhagavAn?s beautiful form 
very well in front of him.  Not only just nammAzhvAr?s eyes, but all his 
indriya-s are now enjoying bhagavAn uninterruptedly.  BhagavAn is occupying 
nammAzhvAr?s forehead constantly now ? in other words, AzhvAr is in constant 
meditation on emperumAn?s Lotus Feet (en neRRiyil uLAnE).  The One who 
created Siva who has an eye in the forehead, is now sitting on the forehead 
of nammAzhvAr.

kamalak kaNNan en kaNNil uLLAn, kANban  ? Bhagavan, the lotus-eyed One, is 
now the object of nammAzhvAr?s eyes.   Recall the divine vision that was 
bestowed by Lord kRshNa on arjuna, that made it possible for him to see 
bhagavAn?s viSva rUpam, and the incident in SrI mahA bhAratam where sa?njaya 
was able to ?see? the whole action in the battlefield while being far away 
from the scene of the battle.  nammAzhvAr has similarly received the divine 
vision here, since he is devoid of all limitations, thus having been blessed 
by bhagavAn.   Alternatively, AzhvAr is having the vision of bhagavAn very 
clearly because of his yogic abilities (pratyaksha samAnAkAra j?nAnam, or 
the ability to have a clear vision of an object that is not in front of 
one?s eyes).

How did this happen?

avan kaNgaLAlE amala?ngaL Aga vizhikkum ? Because BhagavAn blessed 
nammAzhvAr with His kaTAksham, and this removed all the limitations of 
AzhvAr completely ? of which there was none to start with, any way.  (malam 
means ?sin ? pApam?.  a-malam means ?devoid of sins?).

aim pulanum avan mUrti ? All the five senses of nammAzhvAr are now like His 
body ? He commands them to do whatever He wants.  The net result is that all 
of nammAzhvAr?s indriya-s are totally turned towards Him and nothing else.  
Even though all our senses are under His control always (He is hRshIkeSan ? 
the Controller of our indriya-s), He gives us the freedom to use our 
indriya-s based on our vAsanA-s, and then supports our actions.  In the case 
of AzhvAr, his indriya-s are guided by BhagavAn consistent with AzhvAr?s 
realization of bhagavAn, and thus they are totally turned to Him and 
enjoyment of Him.

What are some of the ceshTita-s ? mAya-s, of this One Who caused 
nammAzhvAr?s indriya-s to be freed from the human limitations?

kamalattu nambi ayan tannai, kaN nudalAnoDum tORRi ? He created ayan ? 
brahmA, from the lotus in His navel, and He also created Siva with the third 
eye on his forehead.

-          BrahmA, is called ?nambi? (perfect) here by AzhvAr, because 
brahmA is pUrNan ? perfect, in knowledge.  This is because bhagavAn has 
given him this knowledge.  BhagavAn is the One who created this brahmA and 
gave him the knowledge for the purpose of creation.

-          Similarly, Siva who has the third eye that is capable of samhAra, 
was also created by the Supreme Lord, kaNNa pirAn.

-          nudal means ?forehead? ? lalATam.  Since Siva has the third eye 
in his forehead, the reference to him here as ?One who has an eye in his 
forehead ? kaN nudalAn?.

amala deivattODu ulagam Akki ? In addition, He created all the deva-s 
endowed with sAttvic qualities, and also all the other beings of the 
different worlds.

en neRRi uLAnE ? emperumAn is occupying my forehead.   BhagavAn is giving 
His anubhavam to AzhvAr gradually, instead of flooding him with the whole 
anubhavam all at once.  This is because the delight of His anubhavam can be 
so intense that the recipient may not be able to withstand the sudden impact 
of this intense flood of delight - brahmAnubhavam.  So BhagavAn gives the 
experience of Himself gradually to His devotees, and they enjoy Him with 
their whole self gradually.  This is discussed further in the next pASuram.  
The intense pain that ANDAL went through because of her separation from 
kaNNan, and the relatively slow and gradual revelation of Himself by kaNNan 
to her, are also explained along similar lines.
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4. FROM MAHABHARATA: ?YAKSHA PRASNAM?- PART 53: PRASNAM 120
(SRI M.K. RAMASWAMY IYENGAR SWAMI)
(SENIOR OFFICER OF GOVT. OF INDIA)
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PRASNAM 120
YAKSHA:
?KIM AASCHARYAM??
?WHAT IS SO WONDERFUL??
YUDHISTIRA:
?AHANYAHANI BHOOTAANI GACHCHANTI IHA YAMAALAYE /
SESHAAHSTAAVARAM ICHCHANTI KIM AASCHARYAM ATAH PARAM //?
?FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL, COUNTLESS NUMBER OF LIVING BEINGS TAKE TO THE ONE WAY 
ROUTE TO THE ABODE OF DEATH, DAY AFTER DAY. YET, THOSE WHO SURVIVE AT THE 
END OF THE DAY BELIEVE THAT THEY WILL BE HERE ALIVE FOREVER. WHAT CAN BE 
MORE INCREDIBLE THAN THIS??

NOTES:
With all his intelligence, the human being is not above holding on to some 
strange attitudes. He covets for the covetable that, which is in his 
neighbor?s possession and not in his. When his wish is fulfilled, he is 
overjoyed. He tells himself that he deserved to possess what he has come to 
possess.

However, by using some strange logic, he thinks that some evil that has 
befallen on the neighbor would not happen to him. He thinks that the 
neighbor must have done something to deserve such an evil.

Reflecting over such a tendency, YudhishTira has stated with a dry humor 
that it is indeed strange and baffling that the inevitability of death, 
which is there for everyone to see, is not considered inevitable by the 
living. At any rate, the living thinks that the inevitability is so too far 
that it is not worth thinking about. The living also thinks that it is quite 
sensible to ignore it altogether!

What YudhishTira considers as strange is that it is not as if the living 
have become fearless towards death and have, therefore, developed an 
attitude of indifference or nonchalance. On the contrary, every living being is 
mortally afraid of  death.

Even the great RavaNa was not free from this fear. At the end of a very 
rigorous penance, when Brahma, the creator appeared before him and asked him 
to name the boon he desired, he said unhesitatingly
Bhagavan praaNinaam nityam naanyatra maraNaath bhayam /
Naasti mrityuh sama: satru: amaratvam aham vruNE //
(VR Vii.10.16)

?Oh! The Divine one! The one fear that afflicts all living beings alike and 
incessantly too is the fear of death. There is no deadlier foe than death. I 
would request you to grant me deathlessness?

Brahma replied that RaavaNa was not entitled to deathlessness. He granted 
him many other boons on the strength of which he started tormenting 
everybody. That is another story.

The point to be noted is that even the mighty RaavaNa was afraid of death.

What does one do when one is afraid?
One tries to go to the source of fear and seeks to eliminate it or 
alternatively, one equips oneself with immunity from this fear. However, it 
strikes YudhishTira that people are not doing anything like that. They 
prefer to act like a youngster who fears the darkness of the night, whilst 
in bed and covers himself head to toes with a sheet and feels he has 
insulated himself sufficiently. People do not think about death and the ways 
and means of immunizing the mind from the fear of the inevitability but 
instead become elaborately casual and delude themselves that the cold and 
clumsy finger of death is not going to touch them, at any rate for a long 
long time.

This, YudhishTira finds to be very infantile and amusing and at the same 
time incredible that a mature adult should commit such a serious error and 
miscalculation.

How to overcome the fear of death?

One method is to make a complete surrender to God, erase one?s will and let 
God?s will prevail.

Another method is to realize consciously that death can only strike at the 
sheath that is the body and not the soul, which knows no birth and 
consequently no death.

In the former method, the devotees feel being ?cradled? in His arms? and 
enjoy perfect security. There is no longer any room for fear in their 
consciousness.

In the latter approach, there is an elevated level of consciousness. Death 
is not an end; it is more like a transition. When it is realized that death 
is not putting out the flame, fear vanishes.

?The first and most important point is to know that life is one and 
immortal. Only the forms are countless, fleeting and brittle. This knowledge 
must be securely and permanently established in the mind and one must 
identify one?s consciousness as far as possible with the eternal life that 
is independent of every form, but which manifests in all forms? says the 
Mother in Pondicherry.

Sri RamaNa Maharishi expresses the same thought this way: ?The material body 
dies; but the spirit transcending it cannot be touched by death. I am 
therefore the deathless spirit?

He was explaining to his devotees how the great spiritual transformation 
occurred. It appears that early in 1896 (before he left for Tiruvannaamalai) 
he was seated all alone in his uncle?s house. He was in good health. 
However, suddenly an unmistakable fear of death seized him. He became 
introspective. Pursuing his thoughts, he said to himself that body, which 
had become dead, would be taken to the crematory and burnt and reduced to 
ashes. With the destruction of the body, was I dead? He asked himself. He 
realized he was still aware of the full force of his personality and even 
the sound of ?I? within himself as apart from the body. He realized that all 
the conscious activity was connected with his body was centered on that ?I?. 
The ?I? was holding the focus of attention with a powerful fascination. He 
said to himself in conclusion ?The fear of death vanished at once and 
forever?.

In reply to this questi0on, unlike the previous ones, YudhishTira is giving 
a dry smile and permitting himself the luxury of slight cynicism. Perhaps, 
he wants to enliven the proceedings! Or, perhaps, he is suggesting 
indirectly that the session has got rather too prolonged!
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