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Samudra Manthana - From the Mahabharata

Introduction  सौतिरुवाच। एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु भगिन्यौ ते तपोधन। अपश्यतां समायान्तमुच्चैः श्रवसमन्तिकात्॥ यं तु देवगणाः सर्वे हृष्टरूपमपूजयन्। मथ्यमानेऽमृते जातमश्वरत्नमनुत्तमम्॥ अमोघबलमश्वानामुत्तमं जविनां वरम्। श्रीमन्तमजरं दिव्यं सर्वलक्षणपूजितम्॥ 1.17.1-3 Sauti said, ‘Muni, about this time the two sisters (Vināta and Kadru) saw the marvellous jewel among horses, the calm and magnificent Uccaiḥśravas, whom the Devas worship.  He arose when the Kṣīra-sāgara was churned for the Amṛta, and he was divinely graceful, ever-young, Creation’s masterpiece, irresistibly vigorous and bearing every auspicious sign and mark upon his person.’ शौनक उवाच। कथं तदमृतं देवैर्मथितं क्व च शंस मे। `कारणं चात्र मथने संजातममृतात्परम्॥' यत्र जज्ञे महावीर्यः सोऽश्वराजो महाद्युतिः॥ 1.17.4 Śaunaka asked, ‘Why did the Devas churn the Ocean for the nectar? How and when did the mighty and resplendent Uccaiḥśravas come forth from its waves?’  सौतिरुवाच। ज्वलन्तमचलं मेरुं तेजोराशिमनुत्तमम्। आक्षिपन्तं प...
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The Supreme Brahman - Revealed by Rishi Markandeya

                                                  नारायणं सुरगुरुं जगदेकनाथं भक्तप्रियं सकललोकनमस्कृतं च ।  त्रैगुण्यवर्जितमजं विभुमाद्यमीशं वन्दे भवघ्नममरासुरसिद्धवन्द्यम् ॥ Introduction When the Pandavas were in their exile, they went to Kāmyaka forest, where Rṣī Mārkandeya was there. Śrī Krşņa also arrived there along with Satyabhāmā. Yudhisthira asked many series of questions, with answers given by the Rsī, and now he asked the following - नैके युगसहस्रान्तास्त्वया दृष्टा महामुने । न चापीह समः कश्चिदायुषा तव विद्यते । वर्जयित्वा महात्मानं ब्राह्मणं परमेष्ठिनम् ॥ वर्जयित्वा महात्मानं ब्रह्माणं परमेष्ठिनम्। न तेऽस्ति सदृशः कश्चिदायुषा ब्रह्मसत्तम ॥  अथाऽन्तरिक्षे लोकेऽस्मिन्देवदानववर्जिते। त्वमेव प्रलये विप्र ब्रह्माणमुपतिष्ठसे ॥  प्रलये चापि निर्वृत्ते प्रबुद्धे च पितामहे। त्वमेकः सृज्यमानानि भूतानीह प्रपश्यसि ॥ चतुर्विधा...
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The Supreme Brahman - Revealed by Bhīṣma Pitāmahā to the Pāṇḍavas

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 In the Śānti Parva of the Mahābhārata, there is a touching Stotra by Śrī Bhīṣmāchārya. He recognizes the Lord Nārāyaṇa as the Supreme Being, and as Śrī Kṛṣṇa who is standing before him.  It is an Incredibly touching Stotra of one who was such a great Jñāni, yet reduced to the bed of arrows, who has realized the supreme tattvas.  Also touching is fact that the Lord to whom it has been addressed to, is full of Auspicious attributes, who “amāni” as per the Sahasranāma (never proud), who stood respectfully at the side of Bhīṣma as though he was an inferior, exhibiting his sousīlya (accessibility). Here is how the Adhyāya starts -  प्रवृत्तमात्रे त्वयनमुत्तरेण दिवाकरे। `शुक्लपक्षस्य चाष्टभ्यां माघमासस्य पार्थिव॥ प्राजापत्ये च नक्षत्रे मध्यं प्राप्ते दिवाकरे।' समावेशयदात्मानमात्मत्येव समाहितः॥ विकीर्णांशुरिवादित्यो भीष्मः शरशतैश्चितः। शुशुभे परया लक्ष्म्या वृतो ब्राह्मणसत्तमैः॥ 12.46.3-5 As soon as the sun, passing the solstitial point, entered Uttarayana, his northerly c...
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Who is the Supreme Brahman - Revealed by ‘Umāpati Rudra’ and ‘Rishi Durvāsā’

 वेदे रामायणे पुण्ये भारते भरतर्षभ।  आदौ चान्ते च मध्ये च हरिः सर्वत्र गीयते॥  यत्र विष्णुकथा दिव्याः श्रुतयश्च सनातनाः।  तच्छ्रोतव्यं मनुष्येण परं पदमिहेच्छता॥  I - WORDS OF WISDOM BY MAHĀDEVA After being brutally humiliated by the Pāṇḍavas for abducting Draupadī, Jayadratha is overcome with shame and, bending his head, he silently and sadly makes his way to Gangadvāram, the place from where the Gaṅgā comes down to the plains. He implores Trīlochana, Umā’s consort, for protection and does severe penance.  Śiva, the three-eyed One, is so pleased with Jayadratha’s tapasya that he comes down to the Earth to accept his offering of penance and tells him to ask for a boon. Listen, Rājan, to the boon that Jayadratha asks Mahādeva for.  वरं चास्मै ददौ देवः स जग्राह च तच्छृणु ॥ 3.273.29 समस्तान्सरथान्पञ्चजयेयं युधि पाण्डवान्। The Saindhava says, “Grant that I am able to defeat all the five sons of Pāṇḍu, mounted on their chariots, in battle!” इति राजाऽब्रवीद्द...
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