Chanting

  • Chanting,  Music,  My Interests,  Saraswati Veena

    Why Music is free therapy

    Music is one of those things that bring people joy. Usually people listen to the song, and delve a little deeper into their moods. When you are happy, you listen to happy, fast beat songs. When you feel sad or miserable, there are thousands of popular sad songs that go with the theme in your mind. Break ups are manageable because of songs. Love becomes more festive and exciting when you listen to love songs that match the mood or characteristic of your current situation with your partner. So, it is no wonder that people listen to these kinds of songs, and a vast majority of people function as normal…

  • Chanting,  My Interests,  Spirituality

    Benefits of reciting Srimad Bhagavat Mahapurana

    After the complete recitation of Ramcharitmanas, I am reciting Srimad Bhagavat Mahapurana. You can have Darshan of my home deities here: Here are some of the benefits of reciting and hearing the Srimad Bhagavad. The Supreme Lord said: O Grandfather Brahma, one should regularly hear the famous Srimad Bhagavatam (SB) with faith. Know for certain that such hearing is the only means of satisfying Me.  One who daily reads SB will attain with every syllable the results of giving a brown cow in charity. One who daily reads or hears even a half or a quarter of a verse of SB attains the results of giving one thousand cows in…

  • Chanting,  Spirituality

    “How to be victorious?” according to Lord Rama

    I had written a poem about Buddha couple of years back and posted it yesterday in this blog because it was Buddha Purnima. It went like this: “With Dhamma as its wheel, Equanimity as the goal, Truth as its chariot, Buddha as the charioteer, Move forward in the path of Liberation.” Poem “Buddha” by Sri Laxmi I had a nice synchronicity yesterday evening as I was reading Lanka Kanda in Goswami Tulsidas Ji’s Ramcharitamanas which had a wonderful scene where Lord Rama explains how to attain Victory at all times. Lord Rama is seen going to the war barefoot and without a chariot. Vibhishana is disconcerted by seeing this and…

  • Bharat Our Country,  Chanting,  My Interests,  Spirituality

    The resurgence of Bhakti movement

    I am delighted to note that the Bhakti Marg of our Vaishnav Acharyas which used to attract every one towards the feet of Lord Sri Hari is again revived with the help of our acharyas in North India. The stories about the past times of the Lord pull our heart strings and make us recite the divine names of our Lord. What a time to be able to witness this great revival of our Sanatana Dharma in Bharat! When I first returned to India after living abroad for more than a decade, I noticed that Indians in India had become more Westernized than Indians abroad. A shocking revelation, and for…

  • Chanting,  Spirituality

    The unexpected gift

    I have been reading Goswami Tulsidas Ji’s Ramacharitmanas since 2012 usually around Ram Navami. I learned about this sacred scripture from a Shukla Yajurvedi priest in the temple I used to frequent in the U.S. I just joined and started chanting the Manas as part of Akhanda Ramayan (24 hour) path or as Saptah (as 7 day or 9 day parayana) in the temple community. The language Awadhi is simple and anyone can start chanting. That is one of the greatest beauty of this scripture. So I used to read it with around 8-10 others in the temple in U.S. as part of Ram Navami celebrations. This year I got…

  • Chanting,  Music,  My Interests,  Spirituality

    Muthaitharu Pathi Thirunagai – Thirupugazh

    My Veena rendition of Thirupugazh “Muthaitharu Pathi Thirunagai” is right here for your chanting. முத்தைத்தரு பத்தித் திருநகைஅத்திக்கிறை சத்திச் சரவணமுத்திக்கொரு வித்துக் குருபர …… எனவோதும் முக்கட்பர மற்குச் சுருதியின்முற்பட்டது கற்பித் திருவரும்முப்பத்துமு வர்க்கத் தமரரும் …… அடிபேணப் பத்துத்தலை தத்தக் கணைதொடுஒற்றைக்கிரி மத்தைப் பொருதொருபட்டப்பகல் வட்டத் திகிரியில் …… இரவாகப் பத்தற்கிர தத்தைக் கடவியபச்சைப்புயல் மெச்சத் தகுபொருள்பட்சத்தொடு ரட்சித் தருள்வதும் …… ஒருநாளே தித்தித்தெய ஒத்தப் பரிபுரநிர்த்தப்பதம் வைத்துப் பயிரவிதிக்கொட்கந டிக்கக் கழுகொடு …… கழுதாடத் திக்குப்பரி அட்டப் பயிரவர்தொக்குத்தொகு தொக்குத் தொகுதொகுசித்ரப்பவு ரிக்குத் த்ரிகடக …… எனவோதக் கொத்துப்பறை கொட்டக் களமிசைகுக்குக்குகு குக்குக் குகுகுகுகுத்திப்புதை புக்குப் பிடியென …… முதுகூகை கொட்புற்றெழ நட்பற் றவுணரைவெட்டிப்பலி யிட்டுக் குலகிரிகுத்துப்பட ஒத்துப் பொரவல …… பெருமாளே.

  • Chanting,  Spirituality

    Medha Suktam Chanting

    Above is the video of Medha Suktam chanting along with the accompaniment of my divine Saraswati Veena. I bow down before Goddess Saraswati who blesses devotees and grants them great intellect and intelligence and gives them all the things that one desires. My Goddess Saraswati stands with me as a muse as I write my novels and stories. She stays in my “meetu” and helps in creating the Nadam. She is ever resident in my Veena. Without Her, one cannot learn or master anything. With Her blessing, even the most ignorant fool can become a scholar. There is nothing that Goddess Saraswati does not provide to all Her ardent devotees.…

  • Chanting,  Music,  Spirituality

    Durga Suktam – Praise of the Goddess – Lyrics and Chanting

    Here is my chanting of Durga Suktam with Saraswati Veena as an accompaniment. जातवेदसे सुनवाम सोममरातीयतो निदहाति वेदः ।स नः पर्षदति दुर्गाणि विश्वा नावेव सिन्धुं दुरितात्यग्निः ॥१॥ Jātavedase Sunavāma Somam-ārātīyato ṇidahāti Vedah |Sa ṇah Parssad-āti ḍurgānni Viśvā ṇāve[a-ī]va Sindhum ḍurita-āty[i]-āgnih ||1|| We offer oblations of Soma unto Agni. May he burn those who are against us. May that Agni lead us beyond all difficulties, like a boatman takes his boat across a river. तामग्निवर्णां तपसा ज्वलन्तीं वैरोचनीं कर्मफलेषु जुष्टाम् ।दुर्गां देवीँशरणमहं प्रपद्ये सुतरसि तरसे नमः ॥२॥ ṭām-āgni-Varnnām ṭapasā Jvalantīm Vairocanīm k͟harma-Phalessu Jussttām |ḍurgām ḍevī[ngu]m-ṣarannam-āham Prapadye Su-ṭarasi ṭarase ṇamah ||2|| I take refuge in that Goddess, who has the lusture of…