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SRI GURU RAGHVENDRA SWAMI

Life Story of Guru Raghavendra Swamy

Timmanna Bhatta a Vedic scholar and a student of the pontifical head- Surendra Theertha, the learned man and a great Guru. Lord Sri Venkatesh at Tirupathi happened to be their family deity. In 1595 AD Gopikamba gave birth to a divine son, who was to become the future Guru Raghavendra. Baby's father thimmannacharya's joy was of no bounds. He offered thanks to God. He named the boy "Venkathanatha (Venkanna)" in gratitude to Lord Venketeshwara by whose blessings; this brilliant child had been born to him. Thimmana Bhatta was lucky man. He had a devoted wife, daughter, cultured son-in-law and two sons one is the incarnation of the great Prahalad. Thimmana Bhatta, got his son (Gururaj) married and he along with his wife and Venkathanatha accepted the invitation of Sri Sudhendra Theertha to stay in the matt. Sri Sudhendra Theertha was pleased with the sincere devotion and cleverness of Venkanna. He said to himself that he is going to be great person in life and congratulated Thimmana for having gifted with such a son. Days rolled on, Venkathanatha grew up and went to live with Guru Sudheendra theertha at Kumbakonam. Venkanna had finished the study of Amara Kosha. Venkathanatha daily gave himself to constant meditation of god. His behavior had also changed. He also wished to perform the worship of god with all the paraphernalia as the swami did in the matt and he was devoted to Mula Rama (The Moola Rama and Sita idols where believed to be of the incarnation of Lakshmi and Vishnu due to meditation of Bramha. These idols where latter worshipped many sages and also worshiped by Hanuman, Bhimasena and also Madhava). He came to know the story of Madhava and believed in the uncommon efficacy of the idol. Venkathanatha was married to Saraswathi Bai. For some time, Venkanna was happy living in the village with his wife, but found himself in a financial stringency at a latter stage in life. Venkanna after his marriage had two-fold anxiety. He has to pull on and also take care of his beloved wife. He had an ambition to become an extraordinary learned man quite well versed in Vedas and was very eager to popularize the teachings of Madhava. He keenly meditated himself on god but was mercilessly nipped by the killing cares and worries of life of poverty. Days and months rolled on. He thought of going to his brother-in-law's house, but found his wife to be a heavy burden and therefore left the idea. Saraswathi Bai was a beloved wife of Venkanna Bhatta and was totally devoted to him and knew his likes and dislikes. She thanked god of giving her such a wonderful husband and she had all eyes to see the needs of her husband and cater to them. Both of them were highly sensitive. Venkathanatha was suffering from the painful poverty and Saraswathi soon conceived and gave birth to a child and the child was called Lakshminarayana. Poverty life continued and baby boy starved too. Saraswathi got an idea, she told him to meet his Guru and take his refuge. They went to Kumbakonam. Venkathanatha and his family were welcomed in the mutt at Kumbakonam. Venkathanatha mastered all lessons at the Mutt. Swamiji took him to the debates against Adwaita school of philosophy at various King's courts (Chola, Pandian etc.). Venkathanatha began to write commentary in all three Vedas following Acharya's Rig Bhasaya, which was his ambition. But the circumstances did not favor his fulfillment. Venkathanatha was the apple of Shri Sudheendra Swami's eye. He was thought quite well worthy to succeed the Swamiji, who was waiting for an opportunity to tell his disciple of his intentions. Just by the time a disciple named Yadavendra sought the blessings of Swamiji, as he was disgusted in worldly life. Swamiji named him "Yadavendra Theerta " and he started on the religious tour. Shri Sudheendra Swami was a genius of extraordinary and a soul of high spiritual efficacy. One day, he dreamt that Shri Mula Rama ordered that Venkathanatha alone could fit to rule the Mutt. One day he called Venkathanatha and after preliminary discussion of worldly interest, Swamiji began to reveal his intentions. Swamiji started with telling Venkathanatha that god was pleased with him and he deserves a post as the head of the Mutt. Venkathanatha could not understand the intentions of Swamiji and requested Swamiji to be clear of his intentions. Swamiji began to explain that there are many boats to ferry us across the ocean. But to all these our blessings are the sails which move the boats with great force and speed. Now why tarry on the shore? What fear is there to cross the Ocean? Venkathanatha could not understand. Shree Sudheendra Theertha knew that Venkathanatha loved his wife. When he explained clearly of his intentions, Venkathanatha expressed his inability and for renunciation, detachment was essential. So Venkathanatha explained about his wife, son and his shoulders were still young to take up the administration and responsibility of the mutt. So he was not inclined to take holy orders and take up Sanyasa. But was ready to submit himself to the mutt and Swamiji. Time came now for Venkathanatha to succeed his Guru as the next Swamiji of the Mutt. Venkathanatha had a blessing of Sharada Devi, the goddess of Learning and that led him to realization of self and he narrated his experience of Sharada Devi to Swamiji and decided to do Upanayana to his son and accept sanyasa. He took sanyasa and Guru named him guru Raghavendra theertha. Saraswathi was shocked to hear the news and she fell into the well. She came as a ghost in front of Guru guru Raghavendra. He sprinkled holy water on the ghost and it attained Moksha by purification. Guru guru Raghavendra was great in every respect. He was siddha Purusha (God realized person). He started performing miracles, Blind got their eyesight, Deaf could hear. As the time approached for Swamij and he was 78 years old. It was Thursday, the full moon, He announced to all his disciples that he went by the orders of Shri Hari and he decided to leave this world. Devotees from all over the world came to see him as the news spread. On the second morning of Shravana, finished his morning religious rites and called all his devotees and said. This is our last day. Don’t’ be grieved. It is the order of Shri Hari that we should stay in this world to safeguard the interests of our faith. But we cannot stay bodily outside beyond a limit a certain limit as that would be against the rules of the present age. There fore we are going to enter Brindavana bodily. To the last be faithful and be loyal to your God and religion. May God Bless you with all the things good. Thus he advised them. It was now mid-day. He distributed the theerta and blessed everyone. He called Venkanna Diwan and a prime devotee and gave him a parting message."Venkanna-I am going to enter the Brindavana in an yogic posture and continue to do Japa (prayer) with a Tulasi Mala (Japa Mala/Chain of Holy beads) in the hand. When I stop the prayer place the 1200 Lakshminarayana Saligramas (Holy Stones) in a bronze container and Mrutike (Holy Sand) on my head and close it with a lid and then place some sand/mud. Venkanna was also entrusted by the Guru to build his Brindavan at Manchala (now Mantralaya). Swamiji asked Venkanna to put a stone on which Lord Rama had sat during thretha yuga as the base. Nawab Sidhi Masudh Khan of Adoni granted Manchala village to Swamiji. In the afternoon, when the time was auspicious, Swamiji sat in a Yogic posture and started prayers. The Brahmins were reciting Vedas and Shastras. Venkanna and others were supervising the activities. All eyes shed tears of joy and grief simultaneously. As per the Swamiji instructions the stones were placed above his head as he sat in yogic posture. Thus Swamiji entered the Brindhavan bodily. As per Swamiji’s advice that very day was observed as Maha Samardhana Day. He was to live in atma form in the Brindavan for next 700 years to come. In the Year 1671 AD, Guru Raghavendra named Yogeendra as his successor and entered the Brindavan. After Swamiji entered, his disciple Appanacharya sang the praise of his Guru and seeing the Guru's Brindavan, He could not speak, the last verse of the song was completed by Guru in the Brindavan. Still Guru Raghavendra continues to bless people who think of him in their troubles and happiness. Pilgrimages Sri Raghavendra Tiirta started his services by teaching all the works of Srimadacharya to his disciples. He propagated right knowledge and vanquished several opponents. Apart from imparting knowledge and guiding his disciples,he composed works for the benefit of future generations Soon after becoming the pIThAdipati, he began a series of piligrimages that took him to several places. After visiting Dyupuri and Paripurnadevanagara( Paripurnadevanagara in Sanskrit means "place where God, who is complete in every way, resides"). At Manishrunga, he taught works such as pramaaNa paddhati and realized that it would benefit the public, if sub-commentaries were written on these major works, to make it easier to understand them. So it was here, that Raghavendra Swami wrote glosses on pramANa paddhati, vaadaavaLi, pramaaNa lakshaNa and many other works, many of which are known as bhAva dIpas. He visited Rameshvaram and Madurai. Madurai was the seat of learning in those days, and one of the experts there was Neelakanta Dikshit. After seeing the lucid yet powerful style with which Raghavendra Swami debated, he was convinced that Raghavendra Swami's master was really pUrNaprajna. When Neelakanta tried testing Raghavendra Swami on various sutras, Raghavendra Swami showed him the work he had just finished-Bhatta Sangraha. Neelakanta was so thrilled by the depth of this work and how well it propounded Sri Madhvacharya's philosophy, that he had it placed on an elephant and taken on a ceremonial procession. At Srirangam, he gave extensive discourses on upanishads especially the Ishaavaasya upanishad. His disciples requested him to write a book, explaining the meanings of all the mantras, as well as their commentaries and glosses, of all the Upanishads. He wrote glosses on the Ishaavaasya, thalavakaara, kaataka, ShaTpraShNa, mundaka, maanDukya, taittarIya, bR^ihadAruNyaka, and chanDogya Upanishads. He was about to write one for the aitareya, as well, but he wanted to give the honor to his disciple, Smrutimuktavali Krishnacharya, who had already completed the work. Raghavendra Swami wanted to keep his oath of writing a gloss on all the Upanishads, so he wrote a gloss on only the mantra part of the Upanishad-aitareya mantraartha sangraha He visited Vishnumangala,where Trivikrama Panditacharya had debated Madhvacharya for fifteen days,and finally had become an ardent worshipper of Madhvacharya. Sri Raghavendra,then visitedSubramanya and then Udupi,where he started giving discourse on Sarvamula Granta. He wrote a gloss for the Vyasaraya Tattparya Chandrika, called Chandrika Prakasha. Seeing his students struggle to understand this tough text, he wrote the meanings of the Sutras, called Tantradipika and the meanings of adhikAranas, known as Nyayamukthavali. At Udupi, he sang his famous "Indu Enage Govinda"song upon seeing Udupi Sri Krishna. At Bidarahalli he met Srinivasacharya who was a unique householder. The glosses that he had written were already well known. Sri Raghavendra examined his works and was filled with admiration for Srinivasacharya, who, though being a householder,dedicated himself completely to the spreading of knowledge and learning. Raghavendra Swami bestowed upon him the name Srinivasa Tirtha, as a mark of his high learning. After leaving Bidarahalli, he went to Pandarapur, Kohlapur, & Bijapur defeating Mayavadins, spreading Tattvavada philosophy, and giving Taptamudhradaran, thus initiating them into Vaishnavism. While residing on the banks of river Krishna, he wrote a tippani for Tattva Prakashika called Bhavadipa. He wrote a direct commentary on Anubhashya, called Tattva Manjari At Malkhed he celebrated the Suddha Mangala of his teachings and discourses. Malkhed is situated on the Kagini River and is the place of Sri Jayatirtha's Brindavan. Raghavendra Swami explained that, just the way Kagini River joins Bhima river, then Krishna River, and finally the ocean, Sri Jayathirtha's work explains Bhashya of Sri Madhvacharya, who in turn tells us of Lord Krishna, who is an ocean of auspicious qualities. Raghavendra Swami undertook extensive tours, under so many odds, visiting Tirupati, Srisailam, Kumbakonam, and Kanchi. He neither stopped teaching his devotees nor did he stop writing books. He took a vow to write Tippanis for all the Tikas of Sri Jayathirtha. When he had completed tippanis for 17 of the 18 Tikas of Sri Jayatirtha, Lakshminarayanacharya, his son, shows him his work on Rig Bhashya, written along Raghavendra Swami's line of teaching. This great saint felt that his disciple's teaching should be shown to the rest of the world, so instead of writing a Tippani, he wrote a Rigartha Manjari, a vivritti, which gives the meaning of the first 40 suktas. He wrote Mantroddhara, which gives details of all mantras according to Tantrasara.. By understanding the mantras according to Tantrasara, it is possible to perform many impossible tasks, through the grace of Sri Hari, by leading an austere life. During his pilgrimages, Raghavendra Swami not only covered a vast area geographically in the days when road conditions were poor and travel was arduous, but also wrote several works covering a vast area of the Tattvavada philosophy. He convincingly defeated many Advaitin pandits, through the grace of bhArati ramaNa mukhyaprANAntargata srIlaxmInArAyaNa. Miracles Although Raghavendra Swami performed various miracles, the most significant miracle lies in the vast literature he left behind & his contribution to the philosophy of Sri Madhvacharya. He wrote extensive commentaries on the upanishads, bhagavad gIta, vedAs, as well as several granthas that Madhvacharya wrote. The Tanjavore district was under a great drought at that time. Raghavendra Swami made the ruler perform appropriate rituals and ceremonies. Soon afterwards, rain once again fell upon the lands. The king, to show his gratitude offered Raghavendra Swami a priceless necklace, which Raghavendra Swami in turn put into the Yajna as an offering to Lord Vishnu, who had really brought the region out of the drought. The king grew angry at what he thought was an insult. Raghavendra Swami immediately brought back the necklace from the fire. The king, realizing that for one who renounced the world a necklace meant nothing, asked for Raghavendra Swami's forgiveness. Raghavendra Swami visited Bijapur, where the scorching heat was unbearable. One brahmin was overcome by the heat and fell down, unable to get up. Raghavendra Swami recited a mantra, and water sprung up from the scorching sands, which saved the Brahmin's life. In another instance, a child was traveling with an entourage, through a desert. The heat was so unbearable that the child started to cry. Raghavendra Swami threw his upper cloth towards the child. Flying through the air, it gave shade to the child for the rest of the journey At that time there was a Desai who had no faith in God or the Vedas. He would challenge scholars to make a twig sprout, using Vedic mantras. No one was able to do this. So then the people called Raghavendra Swami to prove to the Desai the power of the Vedas. He sprinkled some water on the twig while reciting a Vedic mantra. Right before the Desai's eyes, the twig began to sprout. This incident instilled deep faith in the hearts of many scholars who were present. They had heard that Raghavendra Swami, in his earlier days, had made the cool sandalwood paste burn, by reciting the Agni Sukta, then made it cool again by reciting Varuna Sukta. After witnessing the twig sprout with their own eyes, they believed that such miracles were possible through the grace of the Lord. The Desai, himself, who used to scoff the Vedas, became a true believer in God and upheld the Vedas, with Raghavendra Swami as his guiding light. Raghavendra Swami, while performing miracles clearly stated that what he did was not magic or sorcery or witchcraft. It was not Patanjali's yoga, but the yoga of the Bhagavad Gita. The aim of his miracles was to remove the suffering of those who seek refuge in him and thus draw them towards God and religion. Soures - Internet

KRISHNA, one of the avatars of Vishnu is the most glamorous and talked-of character in Indian mythology. Starting from the tales of his amorous acts with gopikas and Radha, to his story of valour and wisdom in the battles with Kamsa etc, and his great preachings to Arjuna in Bhagvad-Gita. The story of the birth of Krishna goes as follows:
Once upon a time there lived an evil, wicked and ambitious king by name of Kamsa in Mathura. He plundered the kingdom left and right and lawlessness prevailed in his state. On one of the days a heavenly prophecy from the sky came and echoed, "Kamsa! Your end is near! The eighth son of Devaki, your sister, will be the one responsible for your death." Kamsa was enraged beyond control and imprisoned Devaki, his sister and Vasudeva her husband. Then he killed every child of the couple as they were born. But just the midnight when the eighth child was born, the skies roared and Lord Vishnu advised Vasudeva to take the child across the river Yamuna to the other side to the village of Gokul and exchange with the daughter of Yashoda in Gokul, who was born on the same day. Vasudeva accordingly put the child in a basket, and as he went out the doors of the prison parted for him as if in a magic. The river parted into two to allow for Vasudeva to cross. Vasudeva then crossed into Gokul and exchanged his son with the daughter of Yashoda who was born the same day and came back. The baby uttered cries which awakened Kamsa, and then happily he went to the prison chamber and snatched the girl baby and as he lifted her in the air, the baby, who was an incarnation of the Devi herself, laughed in glee "Kamsa, your real enemy is still alive. The son of Devaki is alive and well and will come back to kill you", and then disappeared. Kamsa was outraged beyond wits and started a killing spree of all boys at that age in his kingdom. It was a terror outbreak.
Krishna led a very pampered and amorous life in the Gokul, along side thousands of gopikaas, the cowherdesses who were all entralled at his beauty and were thrilled whenever he played the flute. There are numerous playful instances of Krishna, playing mischief with the gopikaas including breaking their butter pots. Many a poets, literarians have described these amorous and mischievious acts as Raas-Lila of Krishna. Among all the gopikaas, one Radha was special to Krishna. There are numerous amorous tales of Radha and Krishna together. Krishna is also known to be a very mischievious child who annoyed Yashoda a lot. A lot of dohas (poems) described by Mirabai, an ardent devotee of Krishna, are very popular which describe the naughty acts of Krishna. Among them the one titled "Maiya Mori Main nahi makhan khayo" is an all-time favourite. It describes the excuses which Krishna gives to his mother yashoda explaining that he was not responsible for stealing of the butter from the gopikaas.
Krishna incarnated in this world to eliminate evil elements from this world. There are numerous tales of his bravery since his childhood. Many of the stories are related to the attempts by Kamsa, to kill Krishna after Kamsa came to know that Krishna was in Gokul alive.

life of ramkrishna [1836 -1886]

Life
Sri Ramakrishna was born Gadadhar Chatterjee in 1836 at Kamarpukur about sixty miles from Calcutta. His parents, Khudiram and Chandramani, were poor and made ends meet with great difficulty.
Gadadhar was the pet of the whole village. He was handsome and had a natural gift for the fine arts. He, however, disliked going to school and when asked why he did not want to go to school, his reply was :The so-called education is for earning money only ; I don't care for this kind of education. He loved Nature and spent his time in fields and fruit gardens outside the village with his friends.
Gadadhar lost his father at the age of seven. He became more serious from now on, but he did not change his ways and habits. For instance, he would not go to school, Instead, he was seen visiting monks who stopped at his village on their way to Puri. He would serve them and listen with rapt attention to the arguments they often had among themselves over religious issues.
Gadadhar had now attained the age when he should be invested with the sacred thread. When arrangements were nearly complete for this, Gadadhar declared that he would have his first alms as a brahmin from a certain sudra woman of the village. This was something unheard of ! Tradition required that it should be a brahmin and not a sudra who would give him the first alms. This was pointed out to him but he was adamant. He said he had given his word to the lady and if he did not keep his word, what sort of brahmin would he be then ? No argument, no appeal, no amount of tears could budge him from his position. Finally, Ramkumar, his eldest brother and now the head of the family, had to give in.
Meanwhile, the family's financial position worsened everyday. Ramkumar ran a Sanskrit school in Calcutta and also served as priest in some families. What he earned was pitifully small and he could not send any money home regularly. He decided to bring Gadadhar to Calcutta. His plan was to try to make him study Sanskrit. Perhaps he could also do some priestly work and make some money of his own. Gadadhar arrived, but he lost no time in making it clear that he was not going to study. He, however, did not mind doing some priestly work, not for money but for the pleasure of it.
About this time, a rich woman of Calcutta, Rani Rashmoni, founded a temple at Dakshineswar. She approached Ramkumar to serve as priest at the temple of Kali and Ramkumar agreed. After some persuasion, Gadadhar agreed to decorate the deity. When Ramkumar retired, Gadadhar took his place as priest.
When Gadadhar started worshipping the deity, he began to ask himself if he was worshipping a piece of stone or a living Goddess. If he was worshipping a living Goddess, why should she not respond to his worship? This question nagged him day and night. Then, he began to pray to Kali - "Mother, you've been gracious to many devotees in the past and have revealed yourself to them. Why would you not reveal yourself to me, also ? Am I not also your son ?"
He would weep bitterly and sometimes even cry out loudly while worshipping. At night, he would go into a near-by jungle and spend the whole night praying. One day he was so impatient to see Mother Kali that he decided to end his life. He seized a sword hanging on the wall and was about to strike himself with it when he saw light issuing from the deity in waves and he was soon overwhelmed by those waves. He then fell down unconscious on the floor.
Gadadhar was not, however, content with this. He prayed to Mother Kali for more religious experiences. He specially wanted to know what truths other religious systems taught. Strangely enough, teachers of those systems attired as and when necessary as if directed by some invisible power, and what is more surprising, he reached the goals of those experiments in no time.
Soon word spread about this remarkable man and people of all denominations and all stations of life began to come to him. From now on he came to be known as Ramakrishna Paramahansa, and like a magnet he began to attract real seekers of God. He taught ceaselessly for fifteen years or so through parables, metaphors, songs and above all by his own life the basic truths of religion. He passed away in 1886, leaving behind a devoted band of young disciples headed by the well-known scholar and orator, Swami Vivekananda.
What did Sri Ramakrishna teach?1. Sri Ramakrishna taught no creed or dogma. His only concern was man's uplift. According to him, there is infinite moral and spiritual potential in man. To develop that potential is man's foremost duty in life. He taught man to strive to develop that potential without wasting time over sense pleasure or religious quibblings.2. Religions are like so-many paths leading to the same goal, i.e., God. Man reaches his religious goal when he attains his highest moral development.3. God is both personal and impersonal. It is difficult to conceive an impersonal God, so to begin with, God has to be thought of as a person. Can anyone think of the white color without thinking of a white object? One can look at the morning sun, but not at the midday sun. Similarly, when God is manifest in a person we know what God is like, otherwise God is impersonal and beyond thought and speech.4. Be in the world but not of it. Perform your duties as well you can, but do not count too much upon the fruits of your action. Rather, surrender them to God. try to feel as if you are only a tool in the hands of God.5. Religion is an experience. religion makes no sense unless its truths are experienced. Is your thirst satisfied unless you drink water when you are thirsty?6. God is everywhere but He is most manifest in man. So serve man as God. That is as good as worshipping God.

hanuman biography

Birth
Hanuman was born in the Treta Yuga, to Anjana, a female, vanara. Anjana was actually an apsara or a celestial being, named Punjikasthala, who, due to a curse, was born on the earth as a female vanara. The curse was to be removed upon her giving birth to an incarnation of Lord Shiva.[1]
Anjana was the wife of Kesari, a strong vanara who once killed a mighty elephant that was troubling sages and hermits. He therefore got the name "Kesari", meaning lion, and is also called Kunjara Südana, the elephant killer. The combination of Vanara and the celestial give Hanuman strength, divinity and quick wits – his main characteristics.
Along with Kesari, Anjana performed intense prayers to Shiva to beget Him as her Child. Pleased with their devotion, Shiva granted them the boon they sought.[2]
Different stories are told as to Hanuman's birth. One is that at the time that Anjana was worshipping Lord Shiva, elsewhere, Dasaratha, the king of Ayodhya, was performing the Putrakama Yagna in order to have children. As a result, he received some sacred pudding, to be shared by his three wives, leading to the births of Lord Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna. By divine ordinance, a kite snatched a fragment of that pudding, and dropped it while flying over the forest where Anjana was engaged in worship. Vayu, the Hindu deity of the wind, delivered the falling pudding to the outstretched hands of Anjana, who consumed it. Hanuman was born to her as a result.[3]
The other is that shortly after the completion of her penance, Anjana encountered the wind god Vayu. Taken by her charms, and knowing of her destiny, he made love to her, fathering Hanuman with her consent.
Being Anjana's son, Hanuman is also called Anjaneya (pronounced Aanjanèya), which literally means "arising from Anjana".

Childhood, education and curse
His father being Vayu, (also called Pavan and Marut, among others), Hanuman acquired the names Pavan-putra (meaning "son of Pavan") and Maruti. As Vayu's child, Hanuman was born with immense physical strength, the power to fly, and divine levels of endurance.
As a child, assuming the sun to be a ripe fruit, he once took flight to catch hold of it to eat.[4] Indra the king of devas observed this. He hurled his weapon, the Vajra (thunderbolt) at Hanuman, who fell back down to the earth, broke his chin and became unconscious. Upset, Vayu went into seclusion, taking the atmosphere with him. As living beings began to get asphyxiated, to pacify Vayu, Indra withdrew the effect of his thunderbolt, and the devas revived Hanuman and blessed him with multiple boons.[5] However, a permanent mark was left on his chin (hanuhH in Sanskrit).
On ascertaining Surya, the Hindu deity of the sun to be an all-knowing teacher, Hanuman raised his body into an orbit around the sun and requested that Surya accept him as a student. But Surya refused, claiming that as he always had to be on the move in his chariot, it would be impossible for Hanuman to learn effectively. Undeterred by Surya's refusal, Hanuman enlarged his body; he placed one leg on the eastern ranges and the other on the western ranges and with his face turned toward the sun, made his request again. Pleased by his persistence, Surya accepted. Hanuman then moved (backwards, to remain facing Surya) continuously with his teacher, and learned all of the latter's knowledge. When Hanuman then requested Surya to quote his "guru-dakshina" (teacher's fee), the latter refused, saying that the pleasure of teaching one as dedicated as him was the fee in itself. But Hanuman insisted, and it was then that Surya asked him to help his (Surya's) spiritual son Sugriva[6] Hanuman's choice of Surya as his teacher is said to signify Surya as a Karma Saakshi, an eternal witness of all deeds.
Hanuman was mischievous in his childhood, and sometimes teased the meditating sages in the forests by snatching their personal belongings and by disturbing their well-arranged articles of worship. Finding his antics unbearable, but realising that Hanuman was but a child, (albeit invincible), the sages placed a mild curse on him. By this curse Hanuman forgot his own prowess, and recollected it only when others reminded him about it. It is hypothesised that without this curse, the entire course of the Ramayana war might have been different, for he demonstrated phenomenal abilities during the war, despite the curse. The curse is highlighted in Kishkindha Kanda and Sundara Kanda when Jambavantha reminds Hanuman of his abilities and encourages him to go and find Sita. Hanuman accomplishes his task.

Hanuman in the Ramayana war

A 17th century painting depicting Hanuman worshiping Lord Rama and his wife Sita. Lakshmana is also seen in this painting from Smithsonian Institute collection.
The Sundara Kanda, the fifth book in the Ramayana, focuses mainly on the adventures of Hanuman and the story is as follows.

Meeting Rama
Hanuman meets Rama during the latter's 14-year exile in the forest. With his brother Lakshmana, Rama is searching for his wife Sita who had been abducted by the rakshasa emperor Ravana. Their search brings them to the vicinity of the mountain Rishyamukha, where Sugriva, along with his followers and friends, are in hiding from his elder brother vali, the Vanara emperor with whom he had a serious misunderstanding. Refusing to listen to Sugriva's explanation, Vali had banished him from the kingdom while holding Sugriva's wife captive in his (Vali's) own palace.
Having seen Rama and Lakshmana, Sugriva sends Hanuman to ascertain their identities. Hanuman approaches the two brothers in the guise of a brahmin. His first words to them are such that Rama says to Lakshmana that none could speak the way the brahmin did unless he or she had mastered the Vedas. He notes that there is no defect in the brahmin's countenance, eyes, forehead, brows or any limb. He points out to Lakshmana that his accent is captivating, adding that even an enemy with sword drawn would be moved. He praises the disguised Hanuman further, saying that sure success awaited the king whose emissaries were as accomplished as he was.[8]
When Rama introduces himself, Hanuman reveals his own identity and falls prostrate before Rama, who embraces him warmly. Thereafter, Hanuman's life becomes interwoven inextricably with that of Rama. Hanuman then brings about a friendship and alliance between Rama and Sugriva; Rama helps Sugriva regain his honour and makes him king of Kishkindha. Sugriva and his vanaras, most notably Hanuman, help Rama defeat Ravana and reunite with Sita.
In their search for Sita, a group of Vanaras reaches the southern seashore. Upon encountering the vast ocean, every vanara begins to lament his inability to jump across the water. Hanuman too is saddened at the possible failure of his mission, until the other vanaras, and especially the wise bear Jambavantha begin to extol his virtues. Hanuman then recollects his own powers, enlarges his body and flies across the ocean. On his way, he encounters a mountain that rises from the sea, proclaims that it owed his father a debt and asks him to rest a while before proceeding. Not wanting to waste any time, Hanuman thanks the mountain and carries on. He then encounters a sea-monster who challenges him to enter her mouth. When Hanuman outwits her, she admits that it was merely a test of his courage. Finally on killing Simhika, a shadow-eater rakshasa he reached Lanka

Locating Sita
Hanuman reaches Lanka and marvells at its beauty. He also regrets that it might be destroyed if Rama has to do battle with Ravana. After he finds Sita sitting depressed in captivity in a garden, Hanuman reveals his identity to her, reassures her that Rama has been looking for her, and uplifts her spirits. He offers to carry her back to Rama; but she refuses his offer, saying it would be an insult to Rama as his honour is at stake. After meeting Sita, Hanuman begins to wreak havoc, gradually destroying the palaces and properties of Lanka. He killed many rakshasas, including Jambumalli and Akshaa. To subdue him, Ravana's son Indrajit uses the Brahmastra. Though immune to the astra (weapon), Hanuman, out of respect to Brahma, allows himself be bound by the weapon. Deciding to use the opportunity to meet the renowned ruler of Lanka, and to assess the strength of Ravana's hordes, Hanuman allows the rakshasa warriors to parade him through the streets. When he is produced at Ravana's court, Ravana seeks to insult him by denying him a seat that was due to him as a messenger. In response, Hanuman lengthens his own tail and coils it into a seat that rises much higher than Ravana's throne. He conveys Rama's message of warning to the powerful rakshasa, and demands the safe return of Sita. He also informs Ravana that Rama would be willing to forgive him if he returns Sita honourably.
Enraged, Ravana orders Hanuman's execution. However, Ravana's brother Vibheeshana intervenes, pointing out that it is against the rules of engagement to kill a messenger. Ravana then orders that Hanuman's tail be lit instead. As Ravana's forces attempted to wrap cloth around his tail, Hanuman begins to lengthen it. After frustrating them for a while, he allows it, then escapes from his captors, and with his tail on fire he burns down large parts of Lanka. After extinguishing his flaming tail in the sea, he heads back to Rama.

Lifting a mountain

Painting of Hanuman carrying the Dronagiri mountain
When Lakshmana is severely wounded by Indrajit during the war against Ravana, Hanuman is sent to fetch the Sanjivani, a powerful life-restoring herb from the Dronagiri mountain in the Himalayas to revive him. Ravana realises that if Lakshmana dies, a distraught Rama would probably give up, and so has his uncle Kalnaimi tempt Hanuman away with luxury. However, Hanuman is tipped off by a crocodile (actually a celestial being under a curse) and kills the Rakshasa. When he is unable to find the specific herb before nightfall, Hanuman again displays his might by lifting the entire Dronagiri mountain and bringing it to the battlefield in Lanka, thus helping others find the herb to revive Lakshmana. An emotional Rama hugs Hanuman, declaring him as dear to him as his own beloved brother Bharata.

The Patala incident
In another incident during the war (the one that brought about Hanuman's Panchamukha form), Rama and Lakshmana are captured by the rakshasa, Mahiravana (and his brother Ahiravana), a powerful practitioner of black magic and the dark arts, who holds them captive in his palace in Patalpuri or Patala (the nether world). Searching for them, Hanuman reaches Patala whose gates are guarded by a very young creature called Makardhwaja (known also as Makar-Dhwaja or Magar Dhwaja), part fish and part Vanara.
The story of Makardhwaja's birth is that although Hanuman remained celibate all his life, Makardhwaja was his son; when Hanuman had extinguished his burning tail in the ocean, unknown to him, a drop of his sweat had fallen in as well. Swallowing this sweat droplet, a fish then becomes pregnant. This is discovered when the fish is brought to Mahiravana's kitchen for cooking. Mahiravana raises the child, entrusting him to guard Patalpuri's gates. Hanuman is unaware of this. Although Makardhwaja knows his father is Hanuman, he had never seen him. So, when Hanuman introduces himself to Makardhwaja, he seeks Hanuman's blessings, but decides to fight him as part of his duty as guardian of the gates. Hanuman subdues him and ties him up before entering Patalpuri to rescue Rama and Lakshmana.
Upon entering Patala, Hanuman discovers that to kill Mahiravana, he must simutaneously extinguish five lamps burning in different directions. Hanuman assumes the Panchamukha or five-faced form of Sri Varaha, Sri Narasimha, Sri Garuda, Sri Hayagriva and his own, and blows out the lamps. Thus killing rakshasas, Hanuman rescues Rama and Lakshmana. Afterwards, Rama asks Hanuman to crown Makardhwaja king of Patalpuri.
Hanuman continues to play an indispensable role in the war

Bharata's vow
When the war ends, Rama's 14-year exile has almost elapsed. Rama then remembers Bharata's vow to immolate himself if Rama does not return to rule Ayodhya immediately, on completion of the stipulated period. Realising that it would be a little later than the last day of the 14 years when he would reach Ayodhya, Rama is anxious to prevent Bharata from giving up his life. Once again, Hanuman comes to the rescue – he speeds to Ayodhya to inform Bharata that Rama is on his way back.

Honours

Hanuman tearing his chest open to reveal that Rama and Sita are literally in his heart
Shortly after he is crowned Emperor upon his return to Ayodhya, Rama decides to ceremoniously reward all his well-wishers. At a grand ceremony in his court, all his friends and allies take turns being honoured at the throne. Hanuman too goes up, but without desiring a reward. Seeing Hanuman come up to him, an emotionally overwhelmed Rama embraces him warmly, declaring that he could never adequately honour or repay Hanuman for the help and services he received from the noble Vanara. Sita, however, insists that Hanuman deserved honour more than anyone else, and asks him to seek a gift. Upon Hanuman's request, Sita gives him a necklace of precious stones adorning her neck. When he receives it, Hanuman immediately takes it apart, and peers into each stone. Taken aback, many of those present demand to know why he was destroying the precious gift. Hanuman answers that he was looking into the stones to make sure that Rama and Sita are in them, because if they are not, the necklace is of no value to him. At this, a few mock Hanuman, saying his reverence and love for Rama and Sita could not possibly be as deep as he was portraying. In response, Hanuman tears his chest open, and everyone is stunned to see Rama and Sita literally in his heart.

UNIVERSAL TEACHINGS OF SWAMI VIVEKANANDA

SEE GOD IN ALLThis is the gist of all worship - to be pure and to do good to others. He who sees Siva in the poor, in the weak, and in the diseased, really worships Siva, and if he sees Siva only in the image, his worship is but preliminary. He who has served and helped one poor man seeing Siva in him, without thinking of his cast, creed, or race, or anything, with him Siva is more pleased than with the man who sees Him only in temples.
GOD IS WITHIN YOU It is impossible to find God outside of ourselves. Our own souls contribute all of the divinity that is outside of us. We are the greatest temple. The objectification is only a faint imitation of what we see within ourselves.
PERSEVERE IN YOUR SEARCH FOR GODTo succeed, you must have tremendous perseverance, tremendous will. "I will drink the ocean," says the persevering soul, "at my will mountains will crumble up." Have that sort of energy, that sort of will, work hard, and you will reach the goal.
TRUST COMPLETELY IN GODStand up for God; let the world go.
LOVE OF GOD IS ESSENTIALGiving up all other thoughts, with the whole mind day and night worship God. Thus being worshipped day and night, He reveals himself and makes His worshippers feel His presence

about devine park

Divine Park was inaugurated on January 14, 1986 by Sri Swami Jagadatmanandaji, a senior monk of Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mysore. (Presently, Swamiji is at Ramakrishna Mission in Ponnampet, Coorg District Karnataka). Blessing Divine Park, Swami Jagadatmanandaji said, "Let Divine Park grow; Divine Spark glow!"The sage behind DIVINE PARK, this spiritual temple, is Dr. A. Chandrashekhara Udupa, B.Sc., M.B.B.S., F.A.G.E., a practicing doctor who is striving to execute Swami Vivekananda's Man-making mission. Right from his childhood, Dr. Udupa was spiritually inclined. His favourite deities were Ramakrishna Paramahansa, Ma Sarada and Swami Vivekananda. Swami Vireshwaranandaji Maharaj, the then President of Ramakrishna Mission, initiated and influenced the young Dr. Udupa to undertake sadhana and meditate upon Swami Vivekananda and told him that He would certainly respond to a sincere call. Dr. Udupa decided to take Swami Vivekananda as his supreme master. As days passed Dr. Udupa's desire to have the vision of Swami Vivekananda reached its peak. In the early hours of the 1st day of January 1971 the long awaited miracle happened. In Dr. Udupa's own words: ".....I muttered a line from a devotional song meaning 'when shall I have your vision, my Lord'." All at once, there was a flash of light and I had the vision of the resplendent face of Swami Vivekananda." Since then Dr. Udupa has been in communion with Swami Vivekananda in meditation. (Swami Vivekananda is reverentially addressed as Sri Guruji and Dr. Udupa is lovingly called Doctorji).Doctorji, an eminent General Practitioner of Saligrama in Karnataka, India, is well-known not only for restoring patients to pink health but even for reinvigorating the low-spirited and the sick at heart. He is the modern-day Krishna whose Christ-Consciousness brings light to the minds of the soul-sick, spreading new hope to the hopeless. His Holy Communion with Sri Guruji - Swami Vivekananda gives direction to all those who seek earnestly. Doctorji emphatically states that every man is potentially divine and free; he can, if he so wishes, partake in the Bliss of the Universal Oneness by gathering and reinforcing his disintegrated parts associated in self-indulgence and ignorance. Unbelievable, as it may sound, Sri Guruji - Swami Vivekananda has been many devotees for the last several years.


Divine Park is a unique organisation which stands for the glorification of Divine Spark or innate divinity in man paving the way for human excellence. It ventures to foster catholicity, communal harmony, unity and integrity fortifying the bond of love and brotherhood among human beings irrespective of caste and creed, cult and colour. It heralds a spiritual rejuvenation by the dissemination of practical Vedantic ideas of Swami Vivekananda. It believes in breaking all walls between religions and hearts. It is the abode of all Gods and Goddesses of all faiths and religions and the entire wide spectrum of divinity is represented here. Swami Vivekananda is manifesting here only with a well cherished hope of consecrating humanity and thereby transforming this earthly planet into Divine planet. Divine Park is verily a temple, church, mosque, an ashram and invariably stands for the unification of them all and greets all irrespective of caste and creed. Divine Park disseminates spiritual knowledge to the society and makes them see reason by removing their gullibility to superstitions. Divine Park teaches that God resides and speaks in every human heart and it is HE who guides them all like pilgrims on their divine journey. The renaissance of universal religion, it is hoped, will create a regenerated society which will work upholding the cherished values of our golden age of the past and succeed in reaping the fruits of spiritual pursuits by transforming the very human psyche, both individually and collectively.