Essential Works of Hinduism - III

We got introduced to some Hindu canonical works in earlier posts here. I’ve averred to share humbly a few things like bhakti, ecstasy, and devotional singing in lots of posts scattered here and in Sulekha. Currently the weeks through November and February are filled with lots of important festival days in the Hindu calendar. The cool Dhanurmasam (ధనుర్మాసము) starts with early morning recitals of devotional songs and decorating the front yards with flowers, colored powder, intricate patterns, and go-mayam (గొబ్బిళ్ళు), etc. Though every instant, week, month, and season is the ideal time for meditating and journeying inwardly towards Narayana, many Gurus suggest the cool winter months are uniquely suited for concentrating on religious matters and focused reflection. I still remember vividly some scenes from childhood: Listening to Tiruppavai hymns from neighbor’s compound in the wee hours before dawn. Weeks before the big festival (Samkranti) our street would be decorated with varied complex geometric patterns with white lime powder and seasonal flowers.

 

Now we’ll focus on just two small slim books, both in Telugu. There are equivalent English translations and details are provided in the footnotes. For the discussion we will focus on the essence of these books and I’ll confine to my reading of the Telugu versions as they are authentically close to the original (intent and import).

 

Apparently one devotee (bhakta) earnestly requested Sri Ramana (Maharshi)  to condense the essence of all the eighteen chapters of Bhagavad-Gita. In our home library we are lucky to have access to the following: 1. Very concise Telugu poetic translation 2. Sri Prabhupada’s English translation with commentary. 3. Swami Chidbhavananda’s commentary with original Sanskrit slokas. 4. Sri Ramana’s essence condensed to 42 slokas.

 

I find Sri Ramana’s condensation very straight and direct to the point. We can certainly spend more time on the Gita and go through each chapter leisurely. But for many adults time and energy are very limited and precious. Saddened to note that our skills with languages generally are very limited and often filled with ambiguities and imprecision. Here, in this slender book we see Sri Ramana explaining to the lowest common denominator (i.e., the least ill-equipped student unfamiliar with Upanishads and other hoary Hindu texts) with occasional reference to the statements by our Rishis (in Vedas and other scriptures). The estimable Guru graciously comes down to our level and tries to explain everything in simple terms.

 

For us all, the beginners (of Hindu faith) there are several questions: a) Can someone show us the Eswara (Devi) now? How am I to proceed in this mundane world with routine daily activities and still keep my focus on “the other” intact? What should be my food habits? What are my prescribed duties? Who will initiate me with a mantra, if needed? How many texts should I read? When one is in a desperate situation (financial trouble, loss of spouse, terrible disease, or dire family circumstances) is it possible to get help from the faith? And there may be a few more additional burning questions. But you (the reader) get my flow.

 

In these series of posts on “Essential Works of Hinduism” we will try to get to the answers or at least suggest pathways for finding reasonable solutions. The serious reader has to procure appropriate sources (texts) and study them. If you want to find out why turmeric can act as a pH indicator, you have to mix lime with turmeric and see the color change. Similarly if a reader is serious about “rebirth”, then she has to go and dig up original texts and evaluate the evidence herself. I can give you many instances but you may not accept them due to “prejudice” (forming an opinion without assessing the evidence carefully).

 

Now, let us come to the second text. This is a biography of Sri Ganapati Muni born near Vijayanagarm, AP. Here the great seer (Muni) demonstrates many times the efficacy of Vedas, mantras (Vedic Sanskrit chants), and the power of “tapas” (= burning quest with devotion). Many lingering doubts are cleared. No cheating or mesmerism involved here. I am very grateful to G.B. for kindling interest in this great extempore poet-healer-teacher, Sri Kavyakantha Ganapati Muni. He is also known as Vasistha Ganapathi Muni. The historical fact that two of the most unique Gurus hailed from Vizianagaram (about 180 miles from my native place) area is very touching and endearing to all Telugu people (It should exhilarate all Indians and real followers of Hindu faith). Incidentally Vizianagaram also produced extraordinary musicians like Ghantasala, P. Susheela, and Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu, etc.

 

Finally I may offer one or two suggestions to the earnest reader. In general a student can advance swiftly in any field by the hand of a Guru. The Guru can appear on the scene as a classic book, suggestion, in a dream or in human form. This is the core reason why we often turn to the commentaries of Adi Sankara on Upanishads, Brahma-Sutras, and Bhagavad-Gita. The second point I want to emphasize is “the context”. Sri Ramana answers questions with the questioner in mind; a particular answer is aimed at a particular person in a specific context. Thus we should be careful not to distort the words of Sri Ramana (Guru) or for that matter any one else.     

 

1. The Bhagavad-Gita, English Book published from Ramana Asram, Annamalai, available at Archive.Org on Internet

2. “Bhagavadgitasaramu” by Sri Poluri Hanumajjanakirama Sarma (Telugu)

3. “Nayana”, a Biography of Kavyakantha Ganapathi Muni by G. Krishna and Gunuturu Lakshmikantham, 1978, 186 pp (English)

4. “Nayana” by Sri Poluri Hanumajjanakirama Sarma (Telugu)