- By: Raj Kumar, 2008-02-20
Despite what you may hear, the Google AdSense program is not for everyone. There are some types of web sites that do poorly no matter how hard the owners try, and there are others that should be doing well but the webmaster simply isn’t putting in the effort to make things happen.
Here are some tips to make AdSense work better for you. If you do them all and you’re still not having any luck, then you just might be running one of those sites that don’t make money
1. Determine if your visitors are “in the mood”
Like I mentioned at the top of this article, some web sites just don’t work with pay-per-click programs.
The best performing sites fall into one of these categories:
• Sites where users go and expect to buy something while they are there. E-commerce sites fit the bill here..
• Sites where users go to find specific information on something that they want to buy now. Music and video review sites, vacation information sites, resume building sites, etc. You don’t have to actually be selling these types of things; your site can just be a Mecca for information pertaining to these things. Then, when the visitor comes to read your content, they are more likely to click on your ads.
• Sites where people who have disposable income and a credit card like to visit. This includes sites with money management, investing and lifestyle content.
• Sites that draw a large amount of new users every day. Free coupon sites and “How to” sites are good examples.
• Sites where people go who expect to read ads. Classified ads and shopping comparison sites fit into this category.
2. Make sure that your visitors don’t feel that you just want to grab their money
Give them plenty of relevant and well-written content. If writing isn’t your best skill then hire someone to do it for you. Good content brings steady traffic and steady traffic pays the bills.
3. Play by the rules
Google has some very specific Terms of Service (https://www.google.com/adsense/policies) for participating in their AdSense program. Learn those rules and follow them so you don’t lose all of your investment by getting shut out.
4. Use the tools that Google gives you
Google gives you tools for determining the best keywords for your site, measuring ad performance, and setting up different ad “channels” for fine-tuning ad results. These guys and girls are the 800 lb. Gorillas in the Pay-Per-Click market. They didn’t build these tools just to keep their programmers busy. Take advantage of their knowledge for they are very big and you are not!
5. Tweak, fine-tune and then tweak again
you should never be happy with your AdSense performance. If it’s good, then you need to make it great. If it’s great then you need to make it amazing. If it’s amazing then you need to take it to the UPS club. The UPS club? Google sends all checks over $10,000 per month to the webmaster via UPS overnight delivery. Now there’s a club that I wouldn’t mind belonging to.
6. Get more traffic
No matter how much traffic you have, you need more. More eyeballs translate to more clicks. Even if you’re only pulling a 2% click-through. That’s a lot of clicks when you have thousands of visitors each day.
7. Experiment with new keywords
new keywords can bring new ads and new eyeballs along with it. Set up some new pages on your site and experiment with different content. Once you get something that’s working then refer back to Tip # 5.
You can see results in near real time when you use Google’s AdWords. Don’t be afraid to be different. If something that everyone else is doing doesn’t work for you, then invent something that does work and get it on your site.
For more Free Resources Googleatmcash
Article Source : Article Wisdom
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Light In The Bridal Chamber
V.W. Frater William J. Morris, VIIo
"If anyone becomes a child of the bridal chamber, he will receive the light. If anyone does not receive it while he is here, he will not be able to receive it in the other place. He who will receive that light will not be seen, nor can he be detained. And none shall be able to torment a person like this, even while he dwells in the world. And again when he leaves the world, he has already received the truth in the images. The world has become the Aeon (eternal realm), for the Aeon is fullness for him. This is the way it is: it is revealed to him alone, not hidden in the darkness and the night, but hidden in a perfect day and a holy light."
This quotation is taken from the edition of The Gospel According to Philip, edited by James M. Robinson, The Nag Hammadi Library, revised edition (HarperCollins, San Francisco, 1990). What follows are my comments on this passage.
To me, this passage sounds like many others in the mystical tradition speaking to the reality of inner visions of Light. The Jewish and Christian forms of gnosis believed that God is a God of Light, and that Children of the Light are destined to reconnect with this divine or heavenly Light again. I know of many Gnostic, Sufi, and Christian mystics who describe reaching a level in contemplative prayer where the Divine Light becomes
visible to them. They conceive of the soul as being the "bride," and God as being the "Bridegroom." When the two become one in the bridal chamber of mystical union, the Light appears, then soul and oversoul are truly one in the Mystery of Light.
Orthodox mysticism, to this day, views contemplation of the divine Light as a way to experience union with God. They call it "Theosis." Sufis also say that: "By the Light of Allah I see Allah." By seeing God's Light, the soul is drawn like a magnet back to the Place of the light.
This paragraph from Philip also speaks of divine protection as a result of seeing the Light of heaven. One is protected from the forces that seek to keep the soul confined to the lower planes. These would be the archons (rulers), principalities and powers, the Demiurge (false god), the hierarchy of negative or dark spirits that, in the gnostic system, try to prevent the soul from ascending through the heavens. In the East, these would be the forces of Maya or illusion, Yama (the god of death), and the Kal Niranjan
(Lord of Time). The Kal is the eastern name for the very same gnostic Demiurge, the universal mind-god who wanted his own realm to rule over.
To contemplate the divine Light during this life is preparation for the afterlife, and like other schools of mysticism, the community that wrote Philip advocated seeing the light now, in order for one to be assured that one would go to the place of the Light in the next life. St. Symeon the New Theologian of the Orthodox tradition expressed the same idea a found the Gospel of Philip. This is a point that both Gnostics and the Eastern Orthodox Christians agreed upon.
The Gnostics who wrote and studied the books of the Nag Hammadi Library very much saw heaven as a present tense reality for the mystic-the veil between "this life" and "the next life" was much thinner in their view than it is today in conventional Christianity of the West where that veil seems to be almost completely impenetrable, made of concrete. Not so for the ancients however, who thought that it was possible for living human beings to see God, see visions of Light, converse with angels, and travel in spirit to the heavenly realms while alive in the human body.
Heaven is also for the living, in fact one must, in some Gnostic systems, have access to the heavens now, making journeys of mystical ascent while alive, in order to assure safe passage in the afterlife. Thus, the gnostic writings focus upon the journey of the soul ascending through several different heavenly realms on the way back to the Supreme Being. This concept of souls travelling through several heavens on the way back to the One is not confined only to gnostic literature, it's also found in the New Testament, books of Enoch, Dead Sea Scrolls, and, in fact, many of the apocryphal books that didn't make into the fourth century bible canon presented the view that there are several heavens and that human beings: Enoch, Isaiah, Baruch, Moses, Paul, Thomas, James, Peter, Mary, John, other
Children of Light (you and me) can experience this as well. "But when I came, I opened the way and taught them, the chosen and the solitary, the passage by which they will pass-those who know the Father...." (Dialogue of the Savior, Nag Hammadi Library).
As to their methods-how Gnostics did it-that information, for the most part, is not written down. Books like Pistis Sophia and the Gospel of Thomas speak of the "Mysteries of the Kingdom of God," alluding to things "taught to the disciples in private." "Jesus said, 'I disclose my mysteries to those who are worthy of my mysteries." (Gospel of Thomas, saying 62)
The writings of Dionysius the Areopagite and other mystical Jewish, Christian, Gnostic, and Sufi texts, suggest a need for spiritual Knowledge to be transmitted from teacher to student via a process of initiation. Then, like now in the schools of spirituality, the view was that this Knowledge is only something that a few people are interested in, so is meant only for those who are ready for it. Something like the familiar axiom: "When the student is ready, the Master will appear."
I suspect these mystics wanted to keep their contemplative practices quiet as they would seem way too "sci-fi," to "far-out" to most people. Some parts of the Gnostic and Mandaean scriptures resemble the near-death experiences that people report these days: Light, tunnel of Light, Being of Light, life-review, revelations, visions of the heavens, souls as sparks of Light or pure energy, angels, beautiful heavenly music, and upon being returned to the waking state, a major repentance or changing of one's life takes place, with the visionary being transformed into a loving and compassionate soul as a result of these kinds of encounters in the worlds of Light.
Article Source : Sric Canada
"If anyone becomes a child of the bridal chamber, he will receive the light. If anyone does not receive it while he is here, he will not be able to receive it in the other place. He who will receive that light will not be seen, nor can he be detained. And none shall be able to torment a person like this, even while he dwells in the world. And again when he leaves the world, he has already received the truth in the images. The world has become the Aeon (eternal realm), for the Aeon is fullness for him. This is the way it is: it is revealed to him alone, not hidden in the darkness and the night, but hidden in a perfect day and a holy light."
This quotation is taken from the edition of The Gospel According to Philip, edited by James M. Robinson, The Nag Hammadi Library, revised edition (HarperCollins, San Francisco, 1990). What follows are my comments on this passage.
To me, this passage sounds like many others in the mystical tradition speaking to the reality of inner visions of Light. The Jewish and Christian forms of gnosis believed that God is a God of Light, and that Children of the Light are destined to reconnect with this divine or heavenly Light again. I know of many Gnostic, Sufi, and Christian mystics who describe reaching a level in contemplative prayer where the Divine Light becomes
visible to them. They conceive of the soul as being the "bride," and God as being the "Bridegroom." When the two become one in the bridal chamber of mystical union, the Light appears, then soul and oversoul are truly one in the Mystery of Light.
Orthodox mysticism, to this day, views contemplation of the divine Light as a way to experience union with God. They call it "Theosis." Sufis also say that: "By the Light of Allah I see Allah." By seeing God's Light, the soul is drawn like a magnet back to the Place of the light.
This paragraph from Philip also speaks of divine protection as a result of seeing the Light of heaven. One is protected from the forces that seek to keep the soul confined to the lower planes. These would be the archons (rulers), principalities and powers, the Demiurge (false god), the hierarchy of negative or dark spirits that, in the gnostic system, try to prevent the soul from ascending through the heavens. In the East, these would be the forces of Maya or illusion, Yama (the god of death), and the Kal Niranjan
(Lord of Time). The Kal is the eastern name for the very same gnostic Demiurge, the universal mind-god who wanted his own realm to rule over.
To contemplate the divine Light during this life is preparation for the afterlife, and like other schools of mysticism, the community that wrote Philip advocated seeing the light now, in order for one to be assured that one would go to the place of the Light in the next life. St. Symeon the New Theologian of the Orthodox tradition expressed the same idea a found the Gospel of Philip. This is a point that both Gnostics and the Eastern Orthodox Christians agreed upon.
The Gnostics who wrote and studied the books of the Nag Hammadi Library very much saw heaven as a present tense reality for the mystic-the veil between "this life" and "the next life" was much thinner in their view than it is today in conventional Christianity of the West where that veil seems to be almost completely impenetrable, made of concrete. Not so for the ancients however, who thought that it was possible for living human beings to see God, see visions of Light, converse with angels, and travel in spirit to the heavenly realms while alive in the human body.
Heaven is also for the living, in fact one must, in some Gnostic systems, have access to the heavens now, making journeys of mystical ascent while alive, in order to assure safe passage in the afterlife. Thus, the gnostic writings focus upon the journey of the soul ascending through several different heavenly realms on the way back to the Supreme Being. This concept of souls travelling through several heavens on the way back to the One is not confined only to gnostic literature, it's also found in the New Testament, books of Enoch, Dead Sea Scrolls, and, in fact, many of the apocryphal books that didn't make into the fourth century bible canon presented the view that there are several heavens and that human beings: Enoch, Isaiah, Baruch, Moses, Paul, Thomas, James, Peter, Mary, John, other
Children of Light (you and me) can experience this as well. "But when I came, I opened the way and taught them, the chosen and the solitary, the passage by which they will pass-those who know the Father...." (Dialogue of the Savior, Nag Hammadi Library).
As to their methods-how Gnostics did it-that information, for the most part, is not written down. Books like Pistis Sophia and the Gospel of Thomas speak of the "Mysteries of the Kingdom of God," alluding to things "taught to the disciples in private." "Jesus said, 'I disclose my mysteries to those who are worthy of my mysteries." (Gospel of Thomas, saying 62)
The writings of Dionysius the Areopagite and other mystical Jewish, Christian, Gnostic, and Sufi texts, suggest a need for spiritual Knowledge to be transmitted from teacher to student via a process of initiation. Then, like now in the schools of spirituality, the view was that this Knowledge is only something that a few people are interested in, so is meant only for those who are ready for it. Something like the familiar axiom: "When the student is ready, the Master will appear."
I suspect these mystics wanted to keep their contemplative practices quiet as they would seem way too "sci-fi," to "far-out" to most people. Some parts of the Gnostic and Mandaean scriptures resemble the near-death experiences that people report these days: Light, tunnel of Light, Being of Light, life-review, revelations, visions of the heavens, souls as sparks of Light or pure energy, angels, beautiful heavenly music, and upon being returned to the waking state, a major repentance or changing of one's life takes place, with the visionary being transformed into a loving and compassionate soul as a result of these kinds of encounters in the worlds of Light.
Article Source : Sric Canada
Bridal Mysticism in the Narada Bhakti Sutras
In his introduction to Arunachala Aksharamanamalai, Dr T. M. P. Mahadevan writes the following: "In bridal mysticism, the devotee considers himself to be the bride of God. He employs the intimate language of love in conversing with his Lord. All the processes connected with carnal love are observed to take place between the devotee-soul and the bridegroom, except the carnality. The devotee pines for, cringes, cajoles, chides and quarrels with the Beloved. There are courtship, union, separation, and reunion. In that phase of mysticism which is known as bridal mysticism, the mystic revels in the love-play with the Divine. The culmination of this sadhana, however, is the Realisation of non-duality. Love is never satisfied so long as the dualistic consciousness lasts. Where twoness is, there is no true love. Love is oneness; ananda is Advaita; the Atman is rasa.In Sri Ramana's love-litany we have this clearly taught. ...In the first verse* of Arunachala Aksharamanamalai he speaks of the 'I am Arunachala' experience. When love matures and realises itself, there is nothing but Arunachala. Arunachala is all; all is Arunachala. This is the plenary experience which is advaita."
*O Arunachala! Thou dost root out the egoity of those who think 'I am, verily, Arunachala!'
(from Arunachala Siva - Translation and commentary by Dr T. M. P. Mahadevan, Tiruvannamalai; 2000)
In Srimad Bhagavatam, Skanda 10, Chapter 29, we find Sri Krsna remonstrating, in jest, with the Gopis of Vraja. He advises them that they must not abandon their husbands and families and embark on a relationship with a paramour such as Him, for that would put a serious stain on their reputation and would surely lead to a tremendous fall from Grace. He advises them it would be easier if they saved their reputations and simply returned to their homes and took to devotional practices such as hearing and singing about the Supreme Lord.'The Gopis retorted that they had abandoned all to serve Him, alone, and that, in any case, the blissful Self of all had already stolen their minds and removed any delight that they may have had in family life. In fact, they advised Sri Krsna that if He persisted in sending them away they would attain association with His Lotus Feet through their already constant meditation and thus their bodies would be consumed in the fire of tapas. Those Gopis who had been unable to attend on Sri Krsna personally, perhaps because they had been shut in their homes by their concerned families, gave up their bodies, all karma burnt up by the intense tapas of separation, and immediately attained Realisation of the Self.
*O Arunachala! Thou dost root out the egoity of those who think 'I am, verily, Arunachala!'
(from Arunachala Siva - Translation and commentary by Dr T. M. P. Mahadevan, Tiruvannamalai; 2000)
In Srimad Bhagavatam, Skanda 10, Chapter 29, we find Sri Krsna remonstrating, in jest, with the Gopis of Vraja. He advises them that they must not abandon their husbands and families and embark on a relationship with a paramour such as Him, for that would put a serious stain on their reputation and would surely lead to a tremendous fall from Grace. He advises them it would be easier if they saved their reputations and simply returned to their homes and took to devotional practices such as hearing and singing about the Supreme Lord.'The Gopis retorted that they had abandoned all to serve Him, alone, and that, in any case, the blissful Self of all had already stolen their minds and removed any delight that they may have had in family life. In fact, they advised Sri Krsna that if He persisted in sending them away they would attain association with His Lotus Feet through their already constant meditation and thus their bodies would be consumed in the fire of tapas. Those Gopis who had been unable to attend on Sri Krsna personally, perhaps because they had been shut in their homes by their concerned families, gave up their bodies, all karma burnt up by the intense tapas of separation, and immediately attained Realisation of the Self.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
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Monday, February 11, 2008
Goda: Andal's Divine Union With Sri Narayana
By N N Subramanian
Andal's Divine Union With Sri Narayana
The Tiruppavai, a 1,000-year-old collection of 30 Tamil songs in praise of Krishna, was composed by Goda when she was barely 15 years of age. It is sung during the month of Margazhi in Tamil Nadu, between mid-December and mid-January. The Tiruppavai is also called Godopanishad because it contains the quintessence of the scriptures.
An incarnation of Bhudevi, Goddess Earth, the consort of Mahavishnu, Goda's appearance was to show us the pathway to God through bridal mysticism - looking upon God as the bridegroom.
One day, Vishnuchittar Periyalvar was gathering flowers for the daily puja at the temple when he found a child under a Tulsi bush in his garden. He took her home and brought her up as his own child. He named her Goda (or Kothai, in Tamil), meaning 'maiden' or 'song-girl'; also 'giver of cows, speech or light'.
Goda grew up listening to the sweet tales of Krishna her father narrated to her. Goda's dream was to marry the Lord. Daily, she would wear the garlands her father strung for the temple deity and peer into the well to admire her reflection in the water. One day, her father saw this and saddened by her impiety, he forbade her from ever touching the flowers meant for the Lord.
The next day Periyalvar took the garlands to the temple. That night the Lord appeared in his dream and said that only the garlands worn by his daughter were dear to Him. From then on, Goda would wear the garlands first and then send them to the temple. Soon she came to be known as Sudikkodutta Sudarkodi (the lady who offered garlands to God after first wearing them).
Goda became lovelorn. Long before dawn, she would go door-to-door, rousing her friends. Singing loudly the praises of Krishna, they would arrive at the palace of Nandagopa, and wake up everyone there, including Krishna. They would appeal to the Lord to provide them with conches, drums, lamps, flags and festoons. They also wanted Him to reward them for singing His praises. Finally, Goda would disclose to Krishna the true purpose of their visit - to be granted one boon that they could be with Him always.
Goda's Nacciyar Tirumozhi (poems of the Lord's bride) is a longer composition of 143 verses in which she expresses her love for Krishna in moods ranging from the agony caused by the pangs of separation from Him to the ecstasy born of union with Him.
As Periyalvar watched with grave anxiety his daughter's boundless love for Krishna grow, he was perplexed; how could he arrange a marriage between a mere human being and the Supreme Lord of the Universe? Krishna announced to Periyalvar in a dream that He would take care of that. Krishna spoke to the temple priests of Srirangam and told them to go to Srivilliputtur and escort His bride-elect to Him.
On the appointed day, Goda, in bridal finery, was taken in a palanquin from Srivilliputtur to Srirangam right into the sanctum sanctorum. Softly stepping down from the palanquin and proceeding with a swan-like gait towards the deity reclining on Adisesha, Goda climbed onto the serpent-bed. Then she just disappeared, getting absorbed into Him.
At Periyalvar's request, the Lord agreed to a traditional marriage ceremony which was performed on the panguni uthiram at Srivilliputtur. Every Vaishnavite temple in Tamil Nadu has a shrine for Goda who came to be known as Andal, 'she who rules', because she rules over the heart of Lord Narayana Himself; and Andal's divine marriage is celebrated to this day, every year, on the panguni uthiram day.
Article Source : http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Goda/id/50285
Andal's Divine Union With Sri Narayana
The Tiruppavai, a 1,000-year-old collection of 30 Tamil songs in praise of Krishna, was composed by Goda when she was barely 15 years of age. It is sung during the month of Margazhi in Tamil Nadu, between mid-December and mid-January. The Tiruppavai is also called Godopanishad because it contains the quintessence of the scriptures.
An incarnation of Bhudevi, Goddess Earth, the consort of Mahavishnu, Goda's appearance was to show us the pathway to God through bridal mysticism - looking upon God as the bridegroom.
One day, Vishnuchittar Periyalvar was gathering flowers for the daily puja at the temple when he found a child under a Tulsi bush in his garden. He took her home and brought her up as his own child. He named her Goda (or Kothai, in Tamil), meaning 'maiden' or 'song-girl'; also 'giver of cows, speech or light'.
Goda grew up listening to the sweet tales of Krishna her father narrated to her. Goda's dream was to marry the Lord. Daily, she would wear the garlands her father strung for the temple deity and peer into the well to admire her reflection in the water. One day, her father saw this and saddened by her impiety, he forbade her from ever touching the flowers meant for the Lord.
The next day Periyalvar took the garlands to the temple. That night the Lord appeared in his dream and said that only the garlands worn by his daughter were dear to Him. From then on, Goda would wear the garlands first and then send them to the temple. Soon she came to be known as Sudikkodutta Sudarkodi (the lady who offered garlands to God after first wearing them).
Goda became lovelorn. Long before dawn, she would go door-to-door, rousing her friends. Singing loudly the praises of Krishna, they would arrive at the palace of Nandagopa, and wake up everyone there, including Krishna. They would appeal to the Lord to provide them with conches, drums, lamps, flags and festoons. They also wanted Him to reward them for singing His praises. Finally, Goda would disclose to Krishna the true purpose of their visit - to be granted one boon that they could be with Him always.
Goda's Nacciyar Tirumozhi (poems of the Lord's bride) is a longer composition of 143 verses in which she expresses her love for Krishna in moods ranging from the agony caused by the pangs of separation from Him to the ecstasy born of union with Him.
As Periyalvar watched with grave anxiety his daughter's boundless love for Krishna grow, he was perplexed; how could he arrange a marriage between a mere human being and the Supreme Lord of the Universe? Krishna announced to Periyalvar in a dream that He would take care of that. Krishna spoke to the temple priests of Srirangam and told them to go to Srivilliputtur and escort His bride-elect to Him.
On the appointed day, Goda, in bridal finery, was taken in a palanquin from Srivilliputtur to Srirangam right into the sanctum sanctorum. Softly stepping down from the palanquin and proceeding with a swan-like gait towards the deity reclining on Adisesha, Goda climbed onto the serpent-bed. Then she just disappeared, getting absorbed into Him.
At Periyalvar's request, the Lord agreed to a traditional marriage ceremony which was performed on the panguni uthiram at Srivilliputtur. Every Vaishnavite temple in Tamil Nadu has a shrine for Goda who came to be known as Andal, 'she who rules', because she rules over the heart of Lord Narayana Himself; and Andal's divine marriage is celebrated to this day, every year, on the panguni uthiram day.
Article Source : http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Goda/id/50285
Bridal Mysticism: Story of Meerabai
by Jyotsna Kamat
Page Last Updated: December 21,2007
Saint Mirabai (1547-1614 A.D.)
As the more famous (than Andal or Akkamadadevi) of the female saints of India, Bhakti Mira or Mirabai can be considered as one of the foremost mystics of the world. Worldly comforts never attracted these mystics. They have left beautiful songs and hymns to posterity which are sung to this day.
To Andal, Akkamahadevi and Mira, the soul was the eternal bride and the Lord their eternal Bridegroom the eternal Bridegroom . All the three excelled in the life of renunciation and divine realization. They lived in entirely different regions, wrote in their respective language in different age and Milieu, but became legends in their lifetime itself, by the austere life and single purpose of pursuit of God and finally divine attainment. This life is extremely difficult irrespective of gender to practice and attain salvation.
Mirabai was a princess of Rathod clan and belonged to Medath of Rajasthan. Rana Ratan Simh was her father. (Rana is the word for "Raja"). Even from childhood she exhibited spiritual traits. She was passionately attached to the idol of Giridhar Gopal, a form of Lord Krishna.
Refusal to Commit Sati and Marriage to Krishna
She was married to crown prince of Chittore. But shortly after, her husband Bhojraj and father-in-law Rana Sangh died. Mira refused to commit Sati, as was the practice among Rajputs. She was by conviction wedded to Giridhar Gopal, and death of "earthly" husband had no meaning to her. She spent all her time in praying, meditation, singing and dancing before her beloved idol, installed in the palace premises. The place started attracting many devotees, wandering saints and spiritual seekers. Mira found great solace in their company.
But this strange behavior was not acceptable to royal household and the ruling king, her brother-in-law. They thought of various modes of diverting her attention and save the glare of public. (Rajput women then and even now (year 2001) observe strict purdah) .Some songs of Mira reflect the agony and persecution she had to undergo. But her Giridhar Gopal always proved her savior.
"The Rana sent Mira a basketful of flowers with a snake inside. Mira absorbed in worship, put her hand into the basket to take flowers. Oh God! The snake had changed into a Saligrama! (Saligrama is a small round shaped black stone from the Gandaki river in Himalayas and is worshipped as a symbol of Vishnu).
Determined to kill Mira, the Rana sent a cup of poison. She prayed to Gopal and drank it. The poison turned into nectar. The Rana got a bed of sharp nails and Mira was made to lay down on it. But the nails turned to flowers. Mira was saved from all these dangers by none other than her Lord. Now intoxicated with immense love, she wanders all over in search of her Lord, dedicating herself to him entirely" she sang.
When many plots failed to kill Mira, it is said that Rana, the new king, cursed her "Why shouldn't this ignoble woman drown herself and die?"
Mira came to know about this wish and thought it would be a great relief to her royal relations if she put amend to life by jumping into the river. But in the nick of time divine voice addressed her. "It is a great sin to kill oneself... go to Brindavan."
So she undertook pilgrimage to Brindavan. It is considered sport field of Lord Krishna. Brindavan, a sacred place, was abode to several holy men. Jeeva Goswami had taken a vow never to see a woman--even her shadow! So, disciple of Goswami stopped her. "The Swamiji will not see any woman."
Mira laughed. "I though the only Man in Brindavan is Shri Krishan. now I see, there is a rival to him!"
In the Bhakti cult the love of the wife for her husband is said to be the best form of devotion. Hence all devotees in this world are women and God is the only man. In Brindavan the only man was supposed to be Krishna and other men and women were gopis, as gender distinction did not exist among real Bhaktas. If a devotee really felt as a gopi, he could never refuse to see another woman devotee. If anybody thinks himself a man it amounts to being a rival to god.
Mirabai's words stung Goswami and he at once understood the hidden meaning. He came out from cottage, bowed to the great lady and escorted to the hermitage.
From Brindavan she went to Dwaraka singing and praying. "I discovered the great secret in uttering the name and learnt it was quintessence of sastras. I reached my Giridhar through prayers and tears."
She gave many helpful suggestions to spiritual aspirants. "Oh my mind! You must do spiritual practice and worship.
"To love and live for Him" was the central theme of her songs. "Without pure love, the darling son of Nanda cannot be attained."
It is said that Mira got merged into the idol of Krishna in the temple of Ranchod at Dwaraka.
More than 400 songs ascribed to Mira known as Padas (lyrics) have been collected. She herself set tune to her songs and sang in soul-stirring divinely sweet voice. "Rag Govind" and "Rag Mira Malhar" are her creations. All her songs could be set to music easily and have become immensely popular throughout India, an indication to national solidarity established through Bhakti and through music.
Article Source : http://www.kamat.com/indica/faiths/bhakti/mirabai.htm
Page Last Updated: December 21,2007
Saint Mirabai (1547-1614 A.D.)
As the more famous (than Andal or Akkamadadevi) of the female saints of India, Bhakti Mira or Mirabai can be considered as one of the foremost mystics of the world. Worldly comforts never attracted these mystics. They have left beautiful songs and hymns to posterity which are sung to this day.
To Andal, Akkamahadevi and Mira, the soul was the eternal bride and the Lord their eternal Bridegroom the eternal Bridegroom . All the three excelled in the life of renunciation and divine realization. They lived in entirely different regions, wrote in their respective language in different age and Milieu, but became legends in their lifetime itself, by the austere life and single purpose of pursuit of God and finally divine attainment. This life is extremely difficult irrespective of gender to practice and attain salvation.
Mirabai was a princess of Rathod clan and belonged to Medath of Rajasthan. Rana Ratan Simh was her father. (Rana is the word for "Raja"). Even from childhood she exhibited spiritual traits. She was passionately attached to the idol of Giridhar Gopal, a form of Lord Krishna.
Refusal to Commit Sati and Marriage to Krishna
She was married to crown prince of Chittore. But shortly after, her husband Bhojraj and father-in-law Rana Sangh died. Mira refused to commit Sati, as was the practice among Rajputs. She was by conviction wedded to Giridhar Gopal, and death of "earthly" husband had no meaning to her. She spent all her time in praying, meditation, singing and dancing before her beloved idol, installed in the palace premises. The place started attracting many devotees, wandering saints and spiritual seekers. Mira found great solace in their company.
But this strange behavior was not acceptable to royal household and the ruling king, her brother-in-law. They thought of various modes of diverting her attention and save the glare of public. (Rajput women then and even now (year 2001) observe strict purdah) .Some songs of Mira reflect the agony and persecution she had to undergo. But her Giridhar Gopal always proved her savior.
"The Rana sent Mira a basketful of flowers with a snake inside. Mira absorbed in worship, put her hand into the basket to take flowers. Oh God! The snake had changed into a Saligrama! (Saligrama is a small round shaped black stone from the Gandaki river in Himalayas and is worshipped as a symbol of Vishnu).
Determined to kill Mira, the Rana sent a cup of poison. She prayed to Gopal and drank it. The poison turned into nectar. The Rana got a bed of sharp nails and Mira was made to lay down on it. But the nails turned to flowers. Mira was saved from all these dangers by none other than her Lord. Now intoxicated with immense love, she wanders all over in search of her Lord, dedicating herself to him entirely" she sang.
When many plots failed to kill Mira, it is said that Rana, the new king, cursed her "Why shouldn't this ignoble woman drown herself and die?"
Mira came to know about this wish and thought it would be a great relief to her royal relations if she put amend to life by jumping into the river. But in the nick of time divine voice addressed her. "It is a great sin to kill oneself... go to Brindavan."
So she undertook pilgrimage to Brindavan. It is considered sport field of Lord Krishna. Brindavan, a sacred place, was abode to several holy men. Jeeva Goswami had taken a vow never to see a woman--even her shadow! So, disciple of Goswami stopped her. "The Swamiji will not see any woman."
Mira laughed. "I though the only Man in Brindavan is Shri Krishan. now I see, there is a rival to him!"
In the Bhakti cult the love of the wife for her husband is said to be the best form of devotion. Hence all devotees in this world are women and God is the only man. In Brindavan the only man was supposed to be Krishna and other men and women were gopis, as gender distinction did not exist among real Bhaktas. If a devotee really felt as a gopi, he could never refuse to see another woman devotee. If anybody thinks himself a man it amounts to being a rival to god.
Mirabai's words stung Goswami and he at once understood the hidden meaning. He came out from cottage, bowed to the great lady and escorted to the hermitage.
From Brindavan she went to Dwaraka singing and praying. "I discovered the great secret in uttering the name and learnt it was quintessence of sastras. I reached my Giridhar through prayers and tears."
She gave many helpful suggestions to spiritual aspirants. "Oh my mind! You must do spiritual practice and worship.
"To love and live for Him" was the central theme of her songs. "Without pure love, the darling son of Nanda cannot be attained."
It is said that Mira got merged into the idol of Krishna in the temple of Ranchod at Dwaraka.
More than 400 songs ascribed to Mira known as Padas (lyrics) have been collected. She herself set tune to her songs and sang in soul-stirring divinely sweet voice. "Rag Govind" and "Rag Mira Malhar" are her creations. All her songs could be set to music easily and have become immensely popular throughout India, an indication to national solidarity established through Bhakti and through music.
Article Source : http://www.kamat.com/indica/faiths/bhakti/mirabai.htm
Bridal mysticism at its poetic best
WHEN THE Bhakti Movement initiated by Poygaiazhwar, Bhoodathazhwar and Peyazhwar had begun to sustain the common man who had been confounded by many religions all of which pampered the priestly middlemen and indulged in soulless ritualism, Tamil literature grew wings as well. The Azhwars experimented with many prosodic variations. Equally rich was the Azhwars' contribution to the genres. Dandakams, Madal, Thoothu and Tiru-palli-ezhuchi are some of them. The most important was their use of bridal mysticism.
Though prayers are aplenty in Vedic Sanskrit literature and the literature of the classical age, no one had tried to approach the Lord as the Eternal Bridegroom, conceiving the individual soul as the bride. When the Azhwars began writing mystic prayers to the Supreme in "Illuminating Tamil" (Gnana-Tamizh), they absorbed the genres of ancient Tamil literature with effortless ease. Sangham poetry used the love between man and woman as the appropriate metaphor for what happens in the inner recesses of the mind.
The Azhwars borrowed the idea to explain to their listeners the aspirations of the individual soul eager to join the Supreme, the mystic moments of togetherness between man and God and the unbearable consequences of separation that torture the individual. Nature is also drawn in, to help in this process. The gift of such bridal mysticism by Tamil Azhwars spread all over India, and even the stately Sanskrit language has been tuned to the wavy movements of a creeper in Jayadeva's "Gita Govindam".
Though Tirumangai Azhwar and Nammazhwar have made sure approaches to God taking on the voice of a young girl, it is Goda Devi's poems that are cited as the height of bridal mysticism. Peria Achan Pillai says that because Goda Devi was a woman, such longing for her Lord gushed forth. Born under the Pooram star in the month of Adi, and raised in the house of the great devotional poet, Periazhwar, devotional diction became almost second nature to her. She sang, and the thoughts swirled around in perfect prosody. Hence, her poems mark the beginning of bridal mysticism in India's sacred literature.
Goda Devi's verses in this genre are utterly natural. The 10 verses in the Ninth decad located in Tirumaliruncholai (near Madurai) are enough to show the fire of aspiration is burning in the depths of Goda Devi's heart. Yet she is consumed by this fire of divine love. It is the rainy season on the hills which has made the atmosphere cool but the aspirant's heart continues to be a burning brazier. The instinctive love for all creations is turned into Nature poetry by Goda Devi.
There are subtle changes in the thought-currents of Goda Devi. "Isn't there a certain friendliness in the smile of dark ironwood blossoms and Kuruvilai flowers? For these are dark-skinned, like the Lord's complexion." So she speaks to them. "The Lord has as good as stolen her bangles. She has grown thin pining for his presence, and the wrists can retain the bangles no more. Perhaps these friendly flowers can suggest a way to arrest this rapid decline." There is no answer except that the flowers are dancing in the breeze. How can they be so cruel?
There is a direct prayer — an attempt to make a personal approach — a familiar ploy of taking a vow for the flow of Grace. So Goda Devi spells out a promise:
"A hundred pots of butter; A hundred pitchers of sweet pudding;
Such is my promise to Tirumaliruncholai Lord; Will he come and accept this offering of mine? If only the Lord comes here today; Receives my gift and enters my heart; I promise lakhs of such pitchers; And eternal servitude at his feet."
The promise of eternal servitude (aahum seyyan) is an indication of the symbolic significance of the offering. It is not Moksha that Goda Devi wants. Her goal is Kainkarya, an unbroken closeness to the Lord. It is the same ideal that prompted Lakshmana to give up the comforts of regal living, and his bride Urmila. Eternal servitude to the Lord is symbolised by Adisesha who is a throne, a bed and an umbrella to Narayana. It is said that Sri Ramanuja (considered an avatar of Adisesha-Lakshmana) recognised the aspiration behind these two verses of Goda Devi. Of course she had had no time to fulfil her vow as she merged with the Lord the moment she came face to face with Him in the Srirangam temple. On her behalf, Ramanuja offered hundreds of pots of butter and sweet pudding to the Lord. Hagiology assures us that the next time he went to Srivilliputtur, Goda Devi's voice called out to him. "Come, come, elder brother." Since then, devotees have always considered her to be the younger sister of Sri Ramanuja.
PREMA NANDAKUMAR
Article Source : http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/fr/2003/08/01/stories/2003080101480600.htm
Though prayers are aplenty in Vedic Sanskrit literature and the literature of the classical age, no one had tried to approach the Lord as the Eternal Bridegroom, conceiving the individual soul as the bride. When the Azhwars began writing mystic prayers to the Supreme in "Illuminating Tamil" (Gnana-Tamizh), they absorbed the genres of ancient Tamil literature with effortless ease. Sangham poetry used the love between man and woman as the appropriate metaphor for what happens in the inner recesses of the mind.
The Azhwars borrowed the idea to explain to their listeners the aspirations of the individual soul eager to join the Supreme, the mystic moments of togetherness between man and God and the unbearable consequences of separation that torture the individual. Nature is also drawn in, to help in this process. The gift of such bridal mysticism by Tamil Azhwars spread all over India, and even the stately Sanskrit language has been tuned to the wavy movements of a creeper in Jayadeva's "Gita Govindam".
Though Tirumangai Azhwar and Nammazhwar have made sure approaches to God taking on the voice of a young girl, it is Goda Devi's poems that are cited as the height of bridal mysticism. Peria Achan Pillai says that because Goda Devi was a woman, such longing for her Lord gushed forth. Born under the Pooram star in the month of Adi, and raised in the house of the great devotional poet, Periazhwar, devotional diction became almost second nature to her. She sang, and the thoughts swirled around in perfect prosody. Hence, her poems mark the beginning of bridal mysticism in India's sacred literature.
Goda Devi's verses in this genre are utterly natural. The 10 verses in the Ninth decad located in Tirumaliruncholai (near Madurai) are enough to show the fire of aspiration is burning in the depths of Goda Devi's heart. Yet she is consumed by this fire of divine love. It is the rainy season on the hills which has made the atmosphere cool but the aspirant's heart continues to be a burning brazier. The instinctive love for all creations is turned into Nature poetry by Goda Devi.
There are subtle changes in the thought-currents of Goda Devi. "Isn't there a certain friendliness in the smile of dark ironwood blossoms and Kuruvilai flowers? For these are dark-skinned, like the Lord's complexion." So she speaks to them. "The Lord has as good as stolen her bangles. She has grown thin pining for his presence, and the wrists can retain the bangles no more. Perhaps these friendly flowers can suggest a way to arrest this rapid decline." There is no answer except that the flowers are dancing in the breeze. How can they be so cruel?
There is a direct prayer — an attempt to make a personal approach — a familiar ploy of taking a vow for the flow of Grace. So Goda Devi spells out a promise:
"A hundred pots of butter; A hundred pitchers of sweet pudding;
Such is my promise to Tirumaliruncholai Lord; Will he come and accept this offering of mine? If only the Lord comes here today; Receives my gift and enters my heart; I promise lakhs of such pitchers; And eternal servitude at his feet."
The promise of eternal servitude (aahum seyyan) is an indication of the symbolic significance of the offering. It is not Moksha that Goda Devi wants. Her goal is Kainkarya, an unbroken closeness to the Lord. It is the same ideal that prompted Lakshmana to give up the comforts of regal living, and his bride Urmila. Eternal servitude to the Lord is symbolised by Adisesha who is a throne, a bed and an umbrella to Narayana. It is said that Sri Ramanuja (considered an avatar of Adisesha-Lakshmana) recognised the aspiration behind these two verses of Goda Devi. Of course she had had no time to fulfil her vow as she merged with the Lord the moment she came face to face with Him in the Srirangam temple. On her behalf, Ramanuja offered hundreds of pots of butter and sweet pudding to the Lord. Hagiology assures us that the next time he went to Srivilliputtur, Goda Devi's voice called out to him. "Come, come, elder brother." Since then, devotees have always considered her to be the younger sister of Sri Ramanuja.
PREMA NANDAKUMAR
Article Source : http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/fr/2003/08/01/stories/2003080101480600.htm
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