Vishnu Sahasranaama Stotram (PLEASE POST THIS other one went by mistake)

[Guest guest]

Dear Respected Radhakutir:

 

I totally disagree with your views of mechanical recitation.

 

yathaa kharaa ca.ndana-bhaara-waahii bhaarasya vettaa na tu

saurabhasya |

tathaa hi vipraH shruti-shaastra-puuraaNaH\, dnyaanena hiinaH

pashubhiH samaanaH .. Uttara giitaa ..

 

Meaning: Brahmins who know the Veda but do not understand the

meaning are nothing more than the donkeys carrying the weight of the

sandlewood, because they do not understand the significance of those

mantras. Here that significance is "saurabha".

 

Another variation of this above shloka is as follows:

 

 

yathaakharash{}chandanabhaaravaahii bhaarasya vettaa na tu

ca.ndanasya .

tathaiva vipraH ShaT{}shaas{}trayuktaa mad{}bhaktihiinaaH kharavad{}

vahanti ..

 

=====================

sthaaNur ayam bhaara-haaraH kilaabhuud\, adhiitya veda.m

navidnyaanaati yo.artham .. saayaNaacaarya ..

 

Meaning: Sanayacharya calls such folks (brahmins) as the lifeless

pillars that just bare the weight of the roof.

 

vyaakhyaatum eva kecit kushataaH\, shaastram prayoktum alam anye

upanaamayati karo.anna.m rasaa.ms tu jih{}vaiv jaanaati .

 

Meaning: It is said that some people are cleaver only at expounding,

while others have the ability to to practice what they learn. The

hand carries to the mouth but only the tongue knows the flavors.

 

 

yasya naasti svaya.m pradnyaa shaas{}tra.m tasya karoti kim .

locanaabhyaa.m vihiinasya darpaNaH ki.m kariShyati ..

caaNaakyaniitii ..

 

ChaNakyaa tell us if there is no understanding there cannot be

pradnya just like what is the use of a mirror to a ablind person.

 

Similar thoughts were also expressed by Saint kabir and is almost the

literal translation of citation from the Uttargeeta.

 

a.ndhaso darapana beda-puraanaa\, darabii kahaa mahaarasa jaanaa .

jasa khara ca.ndana laadai bhaaraa\, parimala baasa na jaane

ga.Nvaaraa .. kabiira ..

 

svasyaavidyaabandhasa.mbandhamoxaat

satyadnyaanaaanandaruupapaatmalabdhau .

shaastra.m yuktirdeshikoktiH pramaNa.m caantaHsiddhaa svaanubhuutiH

pramaaNam .. .. vivekacuuDaamaNiH 475 ..

 

Meaning - ON realization of Ataman, the truth, wisdom and bliss,

through freedom from connection (with upaadhi) created by the bond of

ignorance, neither shastras, arguments, nor the teachings of the

guru, but only self-acquired or self-validated experience are of any

authority.

 

Mechanical chanting can only lead to elevation on "EGO" that they are

making "such & such Chanting AND for so many times". Chanting is

just a tool One therefore can not be attached to the tool. I regards

this a boat that takes us from one bank to the other. Once that

process is completed one has to get out of the boat. Thus recitation

is nothing more than a tool.

 

Because of this possible danger Saint Dnyaneshvar maharaj tells:

 

jayaate.n abhyaasaacii gharaTii . yamaniyamaa.ncii taaTii . je

manaate.n sadaa muThii . dharuuni aahaati .. dnyaaneshvarii 2\.311 ..

 

Therefore, a sadhaka must be aware of this formation and elevation of

the ego.

 

DEAR ALL:

 

Please do yourself a favour and try to understand what you do in

every step of your life. That is saadhana.

 

Mean what you say and say only thing that you mean. That is real

saadhana.

 

Shankaracharya says in VevakachuDhamaNi # 13 -

 

arthasya nishcayo dR^iShTo vicaareNa hitoktitaH |

na snaanena na daanena praaNaayaama shtenavaa ||

 

Meaning - Knowledge of an object is only gained by perception, by

investigation, but not by bathing or giving alms, or by hundred

retentive breaths.

 

If one still thinks that there is a real benefit in mechanical

recitations. All I can say is it is your life and you have every

right to waste it.

 

This will be my last post on this subject. There is nothing to

discuss.

 

Regards,

 

Dr. Yadu

 

 

, SRI RADHA KUTIR <radhaktr@v...>

wrote:

> Let us not discourage any one from Chanting Sanskrit Shalokas,

knowing their meaning or not.