Our Bhārata deśā is a divya (divine) deśā, a place where Brahmā brought together all aspects of creation in the loka. Jagadguru Pujyashri Shankara Vijayendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya Swamigal Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, Kanchipuram #kamakoti #JagadguruVacanam #SanatanaDharma #guru #JAGADGURU #KamakotiGuruParampara #Bharata #India

A civilized life should not be mistaken for a luxurious lifestyle or for merely living in a city. Wherever we may be, we should live as ourselves, live peacefully, support others' peace, and establish a sāttvic way of life. To guide us toward such a civilized life, proper upadeśās are necessary. दुर्लभं त्रयमेवैतत् देवानुग्रहहेतुकम् ।मनुष्यत्वं मुमुक्षुत्वं महापुरुषसंश्रयः ॥ (durlabhaṃ trayamevaitat devānugrahahetukam । manuṣyatvaṃ mumukṣutvaṃ mahāpuruṣasaṃśrayaḥ ॥ ) We need three reasons - factors to receive Īśvara anugraham. Manuṣyatvā - As humans, we should first learn to live with humanness. We should interact with humanness. Although kāma, krodha, lobha, moha, mada, and mātsaryā (lust, anger, greed, illusion, pride, and envy) are generally part of human life, we should strive to do noble deeds doing our best to minimize lobha, mada, and mātsaryā. Manuṣyatvā is interacting with a humanitarian spirit and doing what we can to create a world without thirst and hunger and for people to be free from great miseries as aśanāpipāse - hunger and thirst and enjoy sukham (happiness) & subhikṣa (abundance). mumukṣutvaṃ - जगन्नेदं नेदं परमिति परित्यज्य यतिभिः कुशाग्रीयस्वान्तैः कुशलधिषणैः शास्त्रसरणौ । गवेष्यं (jagannedaṃ nedaṃ paramiti parityajya yatibhiḥ kuśāgrīyasvāntaiḥ kuśaladhiṣaṇaiḥ śāstrasaraṇau । gaveṣyaṃ ) This world is not true. They classify truth as प्रातिभासिकम् (prātibhāsikam - illusory), व्यावहारिकम् (vyāvahārikam - empirical), and पारमार्थिकम् (pāramārthikam -absolute)." They state, Brahma satyaṃ jaganmithyā jīvo brahmaiva nāparaḥ । Striving to attain such jñānā will act as an anukūlā (favorable aid) for us to receive the divine anugraham. First, we should interact with a humanitarian spirit. Second, we should cultivate interest and passion for virtuous things महापुरुषसंश्रयः (mahāpuruṣasaṃśrayaḥ-protecting care of a perfected sage) After that comes the state of being free from all desires; avoiding desire for what is harmful and cultivating desire for what is good is the first step. Later, we should rise to a state where we renounce all desires and lift ourselves into complete detachment. How is such a state possible? Through mahāpuruṣasaṃśrayaḥ, by associating with those who have already attained that level. By engaging in satsaṅga, we should develop śraddhā in the śāstras and strengthen our commitment to our anushṭhānas. Through this, as in environmental science, we create a virtuous surrounding atmosphere and live, speak, eat, and conduct all our actions within such a noble environment; through that, we receive Īśvara’s grace. Hara Hara Śaṅkarā Jaya Jaya Śaṅkarā |#kamakoti #jagadguruvacanam

Every day, we should spend at least a little time in devotion to the Divine. Chanting Śiva, Śiva, Śiva, or Murugā, Murugā, or Nārāyaṇā, Nārāyaṇā, or Śaraṇam Ayyappā, each person can chant the name of their Iṣṭa‑Daiva, chanting Śrī Rām Jaya Rām Jaya Jaya Rām, chanting Bhagavān Nāmā for at least short while, chanting stotras, or singing songs, if one has Saṅgīta abhyāsa, we should cultivate Īśvara‑bhakti and Īśvara‑cintanā. We should wear prasāda. We should do tilaka dhāraṇa by applying Svāmi prasāda, such as vibhūti, kuṅkumam, tirumaṇ, and candana. Women should offer pañcāṅga‑namaskāra (five limbs touching the ground), and men should offer sāṣṭāṅga‑namaskāra (eight limbs touching the ground), thereby nurturing Īśvara‑bhakti. We should engage in activities such as placing tulasi at home, offering bilva leaves, doing nāma‑saṅkīrtanam, performing annadānam, participating in the pidi‑arisi scheme (handful‑of‑rice charity), bringing arugampul to offer to Pillaiyar, offering erukkam flowers, and tumbai flowers. Whether it is a small or a big act, if we continuously do good deeds with bhakti at every opportunity we get, they will continuously generate puṇya. Thus, in human life, regarding mother, father, Guru, and God as most important, we should do noble deeds. To make this human birth worthy of Bhagavan’s grace, we must engage in virtuous deeds and cultivate bhakti towards the Guru, who makes us realize the virtues of bhakti. Hara Hara Śaṅkarā Jaya Jaya Śaṅkarā |#kamakoti #JagadguruVacanam

We should sow good thoughts now. It does not matter if these good thoughts take different forms. People will hold on (avalamba) to something noble. If it is the Vedās, it is excellent; whether it is Śāstra, Śrauta, Smārta, or Śrīvidyā, it will be a noble pursuit. As stated in the verse, स्वल्पमप्यस्य धर्मस्य त्रायते महतो भयात् । (svalpamapyasya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt । - Even a little advancement on this path of the Dharmā protects one from great fear). In the case of a ther (temple chariot), for it to move properly, the participation of the people behind pushing it is crucial. They can turn it this way or that way. Even though the ther appears huge outside, the skill, strength, and samayojita buddhi (timely intelligence) of the people pushing are vital.Similarly, we should create good thoughts, refine them, and nurture them. By nurturing these thoughts, we form a plan of action. For you all to continue to grow this initiative excellently through the grace of the guru and the divine, you should offer prārthanā and do prayatna. Hara Hara Śaṅkarā Jaya Jaya Śaṅkarā | Hara Hara Namaḥ PārvatīPataye | Hara Hara Māhādevā |#kamakoti #JagadguruVacanam

Our Mahā Periyavās instructed many to chant the Mūkapañcaśatī, and they have received various anugraha through it. In our Maṭham, there was Rāmakṛṣṇa Śāstrigal, who would go to the pond or river every day and take snānam, stay in the camp, serve ahāram to anyone who came, and write śrī‑mukhams. Under Periyavā's instructions, he chanted the Āryā Śatakam daily. There was a person named Sethu, the son of Abbhaya Śāstrigal. Abbhaya Śāstrigal performed pūjā for Kāmākṣī Ambāl. His son, sitting near Periyavā, would continuously do pārāyaṇam of Mūkapañcaśatī because it was very dear to Periyavā. Through the Mūkapañcaśatī, we worship Ambāl and also receive the anugraha of Guru, as stated in the verse, गुणिनि गुहारिणि गुह्ये गुरुमूर्ते त्वां नमामि कामाक्षि | (guṇini guhāriṇi guhye gurumūrte tvāṃ namāmi kāmākṣi— O Kāmākṣī, Who takes the form of the Guru, rich in virtues, dwelling in the cave of the heart and in the secret spaces—I bow to You) Through this pārāyaṇam, for all of you to receive Ambāl’s anugraha fully, and for your bhakti to grow, and for Ambāl’s vātsalya to instill priyam in each of you and grant you an unshakeable commitment to bhakti mārga, we offer prārthanā to Ambāl. जय जय जगदम्ब शिवे (jaya jaya jagadamba śive - Glory to the Mother of the lokā, The Auspicious one. ) जय जय कामाक्षी जय जयाद्रिसुते । ( jaya jaya kāmākṣī jaya jayādrisute | - Glory to the daughter of the mountain!) जय जय महेशदयिते (jaya jaya maheśadayite -Glory to the beloved of Maheśa) ) जय जय चिद्गगनकौमुदीधारे (jaya jaya cidgaganakaumudīdhāre - glory to the stream of moonlight flowing through the sky of consciousness)Hara Hara Śaṅkarā Jaya Jaya Śaṅkarā #kamakoti #JagadguruVacanam

Avani Avittam Thirunakshatram - Harikatha - Title: Lakshmi Vaibhavam - Presented by Vijayashree School of Harikatha (Disciple of Kalaimamani. Smt. Vishakha Hari); Violin: Kum. Mahalakshmi; Mridangam: Chi. Sudarshan. LIVE from Sri Kanchi Sankara Matham, Thiruvanaikoil, Tiruchirappalli - 620005. ஆவணி அவிட்டம் நக்ஷத்திரம் - ஹரிகதா - தலைப்பு: ஶ்ரீ லக்ஷ்மி வைபவம் - விஜயஶ்ரீ ஹரிகதை பள்ளி, கலைமாமணி ஶ்ரீமதி. விசாகா ஹரி அவர்களின் மாணவி; வயலின் - குமாரி. மஹாலக்ஷ்மி & மிருதங்கம் - சிர. சுதர்ஷன் நேரலையில் - ஶ்ரீ காஞ்சி சங்கர மடம், திருவானைக்காவல், திருச்சிராப்பள்ளி - 620005

भक्तिः किं न करोत्यहो वनचरो भक्तावतंसायते ॥ (bhaktiḥ kiṃ na karotyaho vanacaro bhaktāvataṃsāyate ॥)(What can devotion not accomplish! Even a forest‑dwelling hunter becomes a crest jewel among devotees) मार्गावर्तितपादुका पशुपतेरङ्गस्य कूर्चायते (mārgāvartitapādukā paśupateraṅgasya kūrcāyate —The sandals worn on the path become the crown of the Lord) गण्डूषाम्बुनिषेचनं पुररिपोर्दिव्याभिषेकायते । (gaṇḍūṣāmbuniṣecanaṃ puraripordivyābhiṣekāyate ।—The water spat from the mouth becomes divine abhiṣeka water for the Lord.) किञ्चिद्भक्षितमांसशेषकबलं नव्योपहारायते (kiñcidbhakṣitamāṃsaśeṣakabalaṃ navyopahārāyate— Even partly eaten, leftover morsels of meat become a fresh and divine offering) भक्तिः किं न करोत्यहो वनचरो भक्तावतंसायते ॥ (bhaktiḥ kiṃ na karotyaho vanacaro bhaktāvataṃsāyate ॥—What can devotion not accomplish! Even a forest‑dwelling hunter becomes a crest jewel among devotees) Bhagavān accepted the pūjās Bhakta Kannappar offered with bhakti cintana, as he knew, in line with how he lived. Today we worship and honor him as Bhakta Kannappar, giving him a distinguished place among the 63 Nāyaṉmārs because of that acañcala, unshakable bhakti. As stated in Śivānanda Lahari, दृढं भक्त्या बद्ध्वा शिव भवदधीनं कुरु विभो (dṛḍhaṃ bhaktyā baddhvā śiva bhavadadhīnaṃ kuru vibho—Lord Śivā, please tightly bind my restless manas to your lotus feet with the rope of bhakti and keep it under your control), O Bhagavān, grant me the feeling of bhakti, an unshakeable bhakti, make me Your servant, take charge of me, and protect me. Thus, adopting the dāsan‑tattva (the philosophy of being a servant of the Divine), as Padmanābha Dāsan, or Brahadamba Dāsan as in Pudukkottai, in our pāramparyam, we surrender to Bhagavān and perform sevā with vinayā (humility). We offer prārthanā that, whatever birth we take, we should never forget Bhagavān, as in புழுவாய் பிறக்கினும் உன்னை மறவாமல் இருக்க வேண்டும் (Puzhuvai Pirakkinum Unnai Maravāmal Irukka Vendum)—Even if I am born as a worm, may I never forget You. Vetrivel Muruganukku Arokara! #kamakoti #jagadguruvacanam What can Bhakti / devotion not accomplish! भक्तिः किं न करोत्यहो वनचरो भक्तावतंसायते ॥ (bhaktiḥ kiṃ na karotyaho vanacaro bhaktāvataṃsāyate ॥) Jagadguru Pujyashri Shankara Vijayendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya Swamigal Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, Kanchipuram #kamakoti #JagadguruVacanam #SanatanaDharma #guru #JAGADGURU #KamakotiGuruParampara #Bhakti #bhaktaKannappar #Nayanmar #kannappar #Bhagavan #Devotion

When we follow the Vedic path, and do dhyāna on Bhagavān, perform pūjā, Homās, and Velvis to gain Bhagavān's grace and anugraha, we become the pātra (the one who deserves) to receive it. To sanctify the human birth and make it free of doṣās, it is the Purohitā who imparts the significance of the Sanātana Dharmā, conducting various sacred rites, rituals,and sāṅkhya from the time children are born to all through their lives, such as Jātakarma, Nāmakaraṇa, Annaprāśana, and Saṃskāra (auspicious Vedic rites), performing Vivāham with Agnisākṣi (fire as witness);ज्योतिषं नेत्रम् उच्यते (jyotiṣaṃ netram ucyate),Jyotiṣaṃ is revered as the eye of the Vedās; Purohitās conduct the vivāham and other such auspicious events at a good muhūrta, at an auspicious time, following the Śāstrās and Śāstra saṃpradāya, perform Kuladaivaṃ prārthanā -that is, the Purohitās detail the pārampariya (traditional) customs specific to each devotee's family to them, imparting words, actions, and Dhārmic ways that are appropriate and would confer hitam (welfare) and benefits.The Purohitās are striving virtuously for every family to be bestowed with prosperity, santati (offspring), & many honors by imparting Dharmā to us through Jyotiṣaṃ, which is regarded as the eye of the Vedās. Hara Hara Śaṅkarā Jaya Jaya Śaṅkarā #kamakoti #JagadguruVacanam Jagadguru Pujyashri Shankara Vijayendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya Swamigal Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, Kanchipuram #SanatanaDharma #guru #JAGADGURU #KamakotiGuruParampara #Purohita