Guru Stotram

Here is Guru stotram. Just two lines speaking about Guru's importance in our spiritual life.

I hope my translation is correct. I have done my best to post as both the stotra and the translation as correctly as possible. In the above stotra, I have broken up some words to help pronounce it correctly. Moreover it is also difficult for me to get the words correctly while typing in Devanagari script. 

If you find any mistakes, please mail me and let me know so that I can correct and update it.

Guru Poornima

Today we celebrate Guru Poornima 

Guru Poornima is celebrated on Aashadha Poornima-Poornima means Full Moon and Aashadha is the name of the month in Hindu Calender. It is the fourth month. 

Guru Poornima was the day when Shiva-the Adi Yogi(first Yogi) who attained full enlightenment and the bliss/ecastacy transformed into Adi Guru( first Guru) to teach Yogic knowledge to the human race through the Sapta Rishis or the seven sages. Each of the Sapta Rishis were  taught one different aspect of the the Yogic knowledge by Lord Shiva. Thus Shiva is also known as Dakhshina Murthy or Gyana Dakshina Murthy, 

Guru Poornima also known as Vyasa Poornima is celebrated in the honour of the great Sage or Maharishi Vyasa. 

Maharishi Vyasa:

Vyasa's original name was Krishna Dwaipayana. Krishna (means black) Dwaipayana (means born in an island [in River Yamuna]). He was born on this day to Satyavathi who was popularly known as Matsyagandhi (matsya means fish and Gandhi means smell-one who is smelling of fishes-she was daughter of a fisher man) and Sage Parasara. He is believed to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He is also known as Baadarayana (Badara means Ber trees (Zaziphus Zuzuba -a berry sweet and sour in taste) -the island where he was born was covered with those trees). He is one of the 7 Chiranjeevis (immortal men) who are believed to be still live. 

At a very tender age he sought permission from his mother for performing intense Tapsya (penance). His mother reluctantly agreed on one condition that he should appear before her when ever she wanted him to. He always obliged her. He was student of many prominent sages like Sanaka Sananda etc and gained immense knowledge about Hindu scriptures. 

He wrote down the Vedas (which were in one single form) till then being transmitted in sound form that is orally from generation to generation from teacher(Guru) to student (Shishya). He codified or divided them into four parts-RIG, YAJUR, SAMA and ATHARVANA Vedas. By editing or dividing the Vedas he got the honorary title of Vyasa   (meaning splitter or divider or editor). From then onwards he was known as Vyasa or Veda Vyasa. This division made it easy for any one studying the Vedas to understand it easily.

Actually Vyasa is a title and it is believed that the universe is cyclical in nature -created and destroyed and again created. Each time Lord vishnu appears for dividing these Vedas. So far the Vedas have been divided 28 times by 28 different people- all referred to as Vyasaa. Krishna Dwaipayana was one of them born at the end of Dwapara Yuga.

He was also the author of 18 Puranas and Mahabharatha (through lord Ganesha), Bramha Sutras.He established the system of teaching these through Upakhyanas or discourses. He also established the three paths of Karma, Upasana and Gyana. 

His mother Satyavathi later married King Santanu and gave birth to two sons-Chitrangada and Vichitravirya . Both died issue less. So at his mother's request, Vyasa fathered Dhrutharastra, Pandu and Vidura to the widows of his brothers and a maid. Thus he was the grand father of Kauravas and Pandavas -the main characters of Mahabharatha.

Now coming to the celebration of Guru Poornima-GURU or the teacher is revered and respected. He occupies a position after Mother and Father and remembered even before God. 

Gu means Darkness Ru means destroyer. Guru means he who destroys or removes the darkness called ignorance/illiteracy and gives us Gyana or knowledge/wisdom and shows us the right spiritual path to attain the Moksha(salvation). Here knowledge refers to spiritual knowledge. Indians-Hindus since ancient times gave more importance to this knowledge.

That is why we Hindus recite (Sanskrit Verse) every day:

Gurur Bramha Gurur Vishnu 

Guru Devo Maheswaraha

Guru sakshaath Param Bramham 

Tasmaye Sri Guruve Namaha.

गुरुर् ब्रम्ह गुरुर् विषणु गुरु देवो महेश्वर​: ।
गुरुर् साक्षात् परम् ब्रम्ह तस्मै श्री गुरुवे नम: ॥

Meaning Guru is the Bramaha, Vishnu and Shiva -the Holy Trinity-He is the ultimate God so we should respect him and bow to him. 

Without Guru there is no knowledge. A person may get away even displeasing God but not Guru. Even if God is displeased but if Guru is worshipped and respected and is pleased, with his help we can attain God. One should have immense faith in Guru.  Such is the reverence given to Gurus. Guru lights the lamp of Gyana in us and dispels all the darkness called ignorance.

There are many stories associated with how Gurus tested their students before imparting the knowledge suitable to each of the student. In those days, children at a very young age were sent to Gurukulas (schools) which were residential and they would leave the school after completion of their studies.

Guru and Gurupathni(wife of Guru), treated the students like their own children. But a student had to follow strict discipline so that his entire concentration was on studies and evolving himself into a good human as well as a good citizen. 

The children had to learn various things, like doing the chores-gathering fire wood, cleaning, washing, helping gurus wife in her chores as well as serving Guru, along with their education. 

Once they were literate, depending on the interest of the child, his ability, skills and his background the Guru used to test him whether the child was capable of learning a particular field of knowledge and whether he would use it selflessly for the betterment of the society. Then only he was imparted with that knowledge.

Children from royalty were taught, warfare, various laws, politics etc. If Guru was not satisfied that the student would not be able to use his knowledge positively or for good deeds, he refused to teach the student certain things.

So many great Gurus have taken birth on Indian soil and have enlightened us with their spiritual knowledge. Some of the popular ones were Dattatreya, Adi Sankaraacharya and his successors, Shirdi Sai Baba, Ramana Maharishi and so many others, the list is a long one.

So is it any wonder we should remember and pay our respects to our Gurus. Even though today the knowledge is more towards earning a living, but still we do get gurus guiding us towards right spiritual path. I for one had been fortunate and was initiated into spiritual path at a very young age. 

I feel that while remembering our Gurus, we should also remember our mother(whos is our first guru), our father, grandparents, teachers who taught us to read and write, teachers who gave us the mantra or showed us the spiritual path.

On Guru Poornima day it is very auspicious to get up early in the morning, and meditate in the Bramha Muhurtha Kalaa. I remember all my Gurus daily in my prayers for helping me and shaping my journey on the spiritual path. Some have passed away but I feel they still guide me. So I pray to them.

Hanumath Pradakshina Mantra

Pradakshina means circumbulation(walk all the way round) in clock wise direction. This is also known as Parikrama.  When we visit a temple we make Pradakshina/Parikrama of the deity or the temple. 

I will take up this issue in detail some other time as there is lots to write about it. 

Now here is the mantra which we should chant when we do the Parikrama of Hanumanji.

Here it is in Devanagari Script.

Slokas-Stotras-Mantras

Anjana Devi is the mother of Hanumanji. Hanumanji had highest regard and love for his mother.

People who ask for Mannat(Vow), promise to do some definite number of parikrama on happening  or getting their desire fulfilled. It can be 11, 21, 40 or 108 times.

It is also a practice to do some number of parikrama say 11, 21, 40 or 108 daily or on specific days like Tuesday and or Saturday (for Hanumanji) or continuous for 11 days, 21 days or 40 days so that their mannat is fulfilled. After their mannat is fulfilled they will give their promised offerings or do the particular number of parikrama.

Even if we cannot remember the above sloka or mantra, we can chant just Sri Rama or Jai Sri Rama while doing the parikrama. Hanumanji loves to hear Lord Rama's name.

If there are any mistakes, omissions in my post- mantra or its translation, please do bring to my notice. I will correct and update. I have tried my best to post it as correctly as possible.

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Mantra For success in Competitive Exams and Court cases

Okay Okay. First of all I am sorry for being late. Many people are mailing me for this mantra.

This mantra is for success in Competitive exams, Competitions, succeeding in Court cases and success in general for any work undertaken. This mantra is also for building up Punya Phala or Luck. 

This mantra is very simple:

SriRama JayaRama JayaJaya RamaRama

श्रीराम  जयराम जयजय  रामराम

How to chant this :

Start on any auspicious day after taking bath and your daily prayers. Do it, 11 or 21 or 108 times. Best is 1108 times at least per day. The more you do the more power you get and chances of success will be bright.

Sometimes some people don't want to keep counting number of times they have done this mantra. It is actually a disturbance and distracts us. This mantra can also be done for 15 min, 30 min or 1 hour. First time, just see how many times you are able to chant this mantra in 5 min or 1 min. Then depending on the time you have chanted you can know the number of times you have chanted.

Start doing it for minimum number of times or time that is comfortable and build up slowly. Don't over do it in the beginning itself. Remember when any mantra is chanted-same place, same time, same number of times is advised. 

There are no restrictions for chanting this mantra. It is better to start chanting this mantra after a bath and morning prayers. Then continue it through out the day. I keep on chanting this mantra through out the day and even when I am working or doing something in my kitchen. Even at night when I awake from sleep,  I will automatically chant the mantra. So you can do it any day any time any where as long as we maintain the purity of thought(mind), place and body as we do for our daily prayers. This will become a habit 

Who can do this:

Students or the persons who want success can do this. To support them and build up more power, relatives and friends can also chant this for the concerned person. 

If you are chanting for yourself, while chanting this mantra, imagine that you are succeeding in what ever you want to. For example if you want to succeed in IAS, just imagine that you are writing the exam well or done the interview well and have succeeded in the attempt and you have become an IAS officer. This is called visualisation. The more powerful your visualisation, the greater are chances of your success. 

If your friends or relatives are chanting for you let them imagine that you are succeeding in your attempt and achieving what ever you want to achieve.

One can do this chanting for building up Punya Phala in general. So that our desires will manifest faster.

When a person is writing the competitive exam or participating in any competition etc, relatives and friends can keep on chanting during the entire time on behalf of the person.

How this mantra works:

When ever we want to obtain something, apart from the money(to buy), opportunity and availability of the thing, we also need luck. This is Punya Phala. 

My Guruji used to say, that for manifestation of our desires or obtaining what we want, we require a certain amount of Punya Phala.

Many a time we want something but we are not able to get that thing despite having the money to buy it, or having the skills or capacity for achieving/obtaining it. Similarly we see there are many people who have lots of money but still can't buy obtain what they want. 

Thus we need ample Luck or Punya Phala to obtain some thing. Punya phala is required whether we want a house, a car, success in competitions etc. 

Actually I don't think that there is any term in English equal to the word "Punya Phala" in Sanskrit. So I have used the word Luck. 

Once you have the required amount of Punya Phala. The other things like money, opportunity, skills availability don't matter. Don't we see some people getting something which we think they don't deserve? But they might have done something in the past or in the present so that they have the Punya Phala.

Punya Phala is the merit of good deeds or dana (charity) or puja or what ever japa/tapa we have done in the past or present birth. We must keep on building it. There may be many methods of building it. But one of them is chanting this mantra.

I have tried this and so did many of others, known to me. They have found this mantra useful. Remember for some it may work very fast, for some some what slow. This depends on our belief in ourselves, God, the Mantra we are chanting and  the passion with which we do it. May be it will work for you too.  

Please do leave your comments, if you have found this Mantra working for you. 

Wish you all the best.....

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