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Showing posts from September 3, 2018


Story of King Muchukunda and Sri Krishna

Story of King Muchukunda and Sri Krishna is found in the Srimad Bhagavad Purana. The king was blessed with the rare darshan of Srihari Vishnu. King Muchukunda ruled the earth during the Krita Yuga. He helped the Devas in the in the battle against Asuras. Then Kartik, son of Shiva, took over as the general of the army of the Devas. Now Devas decided to give Muchukunda the much needed rest. But the earth had changed so much during the period. Thousands of years had elapsed and there was no one on earth that King Muchukunda could relate to. So the King wanted to attain moksha. The Devas wanted to help Muchukunda for his service. But they were incapable of granting moksha to the king as it can only be granted by Srihari Vishnu. The king then said that he was tired and he needed rest. He asked for a boon that will make him sleep for very long time. He also wanted the one who wakes him up to be burnt to ashes. The boon was granted. The king slept in a cave on earth through S

Mahabharata Teachings

The Mahabharata teachings given below have been collected over a period of ten years from various sources including books, magazines and newspapers. Grass, earth, water, and good words – these four are never to be found missing in the homes of noble men. It is good character which makes one a Brahmin. It is not caste, family, birth, studies and learning. As a calf recognizes and approaches its mother in the midst of a thousand cows, even so, the effects of the past deeds do not fail to recognize and visit the doer in his new life. Everyday hosts of living beings enter the abode of the Lord of Death, the rest nonetheless strive to live forever. One who has money has friends. One who has money has relatives. One who has money is indeed a man and a scholar for many.  So who has relatives and friends the man or his money? One whose task is never hindered by cold, heat, fear, love, prosperity or lack of prosperity is really said to be intelligent. To spe

Muthu Kuri in Margazhi Month – Dramatization of Mystic Experience of Alwars –Arayar Sevai

Muthu Kuri, also known as Arayar Sevai, is performed in Margazhi month (December 16 to January 14) in one of three temples in Srivilliputtur in Tamil Nadu. It is also enacted on certain other special occasions. The name ‘Muthu Kuri’ means ‘divine pearls’ kuri (divine) with muthu (pearls). The Arayar Sevai traces its ancestry to the first Srivaishnava Acharya Nathamuni (9th Century) who codified the Divya Prabhandham, taught his nephews Melaiyahathazhvan and Keelaihathazhvan how to sing the verse to the accompaniment of cymbals and instituted the expression-based singing of the prabhandham in temples dedicated Vishnu. Though the institution has almost vanished because of economic factors, select families still continue the sacred art from in temples like Srirangam, Srivillipputtur, Alwar Tirunagari and Tirunarayanapuram. This mono acting is based on the elaboration of the content of the first eleven verses of Thirunedunthandakam of Thirumangai Azhwar. It is in the form