Vedanta Sandesh - Sept 2019 by Vedanta Mission

Monthly eMagazine of the International Vedanta Mission

Vedanta Sandesh Sept 2019

Year - 25

Issue 3

Cover Page

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The cover page of the Sept 2019 issue of Vedanta Sandesh is a very well-known bird of the countryside of India - the Grey Frankolin or Teetar. Grey Francolin (Francolinus pondicerianus), is also known as Grey Partridge, and is a resident bird of the Indian subcontinent. Locally it is known as Teetar. The name Teetar is based on the call of the bird, which comes as 'Ka-tee-tar-tee-tar'. Grey Francolin is a stub-tailed bird and is grayish-brown in color. Male francolins may have upto two tarsal spurs, while the females have none. The species inhabiting peninsula boasts of a dark rufous throat, supercilium and more brown coloration. The mating season of the Grey Francolin of India falls in the months of April to September. The gestation period lasts from 21 to 23 days. The female lays 4-9 eggs at a time and the nest comprises of a hidden scrape on the ground. The natural habitat of the Gray Partridge is grasslands and scrublands. One can also spot the bird in the cultivated areas as well as near villages. Grey Francolin is found inhabiting the plains and drier parts of South Asia. The diet of Grey Francolin includes grain, seeds, shoots, drupes, termites and insects.

Om Tat Sat

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CONTENTS

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Vedanta Sandesh Sept 2019 1.

Shloka 5

Message of P. Guruji

7-8

Sadhana Panchakam

9-13

Letter 14-15

Gita Reflections 16-21

The Art of Man Making

Jivanmukta 28-30

Story Section 31-33

Mission / Ashram News

22-27

34-57

10.

Forthcoming Progs 58

11.

Internet News 59

12.

Links 60 3

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Monthly eMagazine of the International Vedanta Mission Sept 2019 : Year 25 / Issue 3

Published by

International Vedanta Mission Vedanta Ashram, E/2948, Sudama Nagar, Indore-452009 (M.P.) India http://www.vmission.org.in / vmission@gmail.com

Editor:

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Swamini Samatananda Saraswati

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rhRokZ eksgk.kZoa gRok jkx}s"kkfnjk{klku~A ;ksxh 'kkUrlek;qDr% vkRek jkeks fojktrsAA Having crossed the oceon of delusion, and having killed the demons of attachment and aversion, the knowledgable Ram-like Yogi, endowed with peace, revels in the truth of oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own Self. Atma Bodha - 50

Message from Poojya Guruji

Mano-Laya & Mano-Nash

Everyone should know the difference between Mano-Laya and Ma-

no-Nash. Ramana Maharshi beautifully reveals the definition and also the difference between these two states of mind in his Upadesha Saaram. This text is the summary of the teachings to Bhagwan Shiva to his tapasvi devotees. These devotees were very hard-working and lived a very dedicated & austere life, but were just ignorant about some very fundamental truths of life and themselves. The result of this ignorance was their endless seeking.

Both Mano-Laya and Mano-Nash quieten the thoughts of our mind,

however in the former all the anxieties etc of the mind is just temporarily quietened, while in the latter the very root cause of all anxieties etc is effaced and the mind naturally & effortlessly becomes quiet and healthy. So Mano-Laya is quietening the effects, while Mano-Nash is removing the very cause of all our mental disturbances. V edanta Sandes h

All sadhanas and even worldly ways & means of bringing about hap-

piness, fulfillment and even success is all about handling our minds. However, we come to accept that mind has to be continuously & endlessly

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managed. We do meditation or bhajans, we go to some beautiful place, we enjoy some music, we delve into some sensual gratifications etc. and all this does quieten our mind but just temporarily. Therefore we have to resort to these means endlessly. This is all Mano-Laya. Ramana specifically talks about the amazing power of Pranayama. Apart from its various powers Pranayama also subsides our thoughts immediately, but also temporarily. All our anxities etc are ready to re-enter our mind once our brute force of quietening the thoughts is removed.

Thoughts are a manifestations of our deep-rooted seeking. We fun-

damentally take ourselves as limited and incomplete and thereafter seek various things, but as the very conclusion of we being limited, the seeking continues. So the secret is all about visiting the conclusions about ourselves and see how valid is our conclusion about ourself to be a limited person. So like all Vedantic texts he too suggests that we do self-enquiry and check out the truth of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. All the limitations about ourselves are discovered as baseless imaginations or superimpositions (adhyaropa). The very realizing of something as imagination negates it, and once all superimpositions are negated we come to realize our real truth, which is pristine and immaculate. The fundamental Self of everyone is complete, infinite and divine. This is what is implied by the statements like Ayam Atma Brahma. This realization removes the very cause of all seekings and anxieties. This is what is implied by the word - Mano-Nash. That mind which is endlessly seeking and worried is no more.

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Sarve bhadrani pashyantu. Om Tat Sat.

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Sadhana Panchakam

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- : 2: -

Swamini Samatananda 9

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Sadhana Panchakam S

angati : Sadhana Panchakam is a man-

uscript of forty steps where Sri Shankaracharyaji paves the path

in the journey of Self-realization. These forty steps are like the rungs of a ladder comprising of different sadhanas, wherein one sadhana prepares us for the next sadhana. In the previous edition we discussed the first sadhana which was ‘Vedo nityam adheeyataam’ which means study the Vedas regularly. In this edition we shall see the next sadhana which is -Taduditam karma swanushtheeyataam. Vedas are the valid means of knowledge which reveal to us the ultimate goal of life along with means to attain that goal. This has been specifically classified in the Vedas as the four Purusharthas. A human life is considered fulfilled when lived as per this Vedic road map which teaches us the art of holistic living and then awakening into a state which transcends the realms of time,space and objects, awakening into a state of self-contentment. This journey thus begins with the basics of chanting the Vedic Mantras and studying the Vedas under the guidance of a Sadguru. Having introduced the Vedas to us the Acharya then goes on to guide us through the next sadhana which is to perform actions as

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mentioned in the Vedas. The Acharya says-

Sadhana Panchakam

rnqfnra deZLouq"Bh;rke~

The Vedas reveal Self-realization as the ultimate goal of

Perform your duties and actions as ordained by the Vedas.

life and all actions or duties are not disconnected from this goal. It is just like a sportsman who plans his life style around his goal of winning a gold medal. He plans his diet, his sleep, his fitness, his socialization, everything in a manner that will help him to perform to the best of his abilities and achieve the goal. So also our worldly life, our field of action, responses and our interactions, everything is a means to prepare us for the divine goal of spiritual evolution. It is only the ignorant ones who are not aware of the real goal in life who consider worldly life and its experiences as the be all and the end all. The Vedic philosophy reveals that worldly interaction and the field of action is a means to this higher goal of self-realization. Therefore the Vedas and the Bhagawad Geeta which is a reflection of the Vedic teachings are a power-pact literature on the Art of living. In the Geeta Bhagwan Sri Krishna makes it very clear that without going through the field of action and practising the art of karma yoga it is not possible to aquire the eligibility for self-knowledge. Karma Yoga is an inevitable sadhana we all have to go through in order to evolve spiritually. Thus having inspired us to tudy the Vedas priV edanta Sandes h

marily, the Acharya now goes on to suggest that we must perform

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Sadhana Panchakam our actions and duties ordaind by the Vedas-Taduditam karma swanushtheeyataam...

Here Vedic duties must not be understood in its limited

sense of mere rituals, yagyas or worship alone. Surely the Vedas also suggest various kinds of yagyas and worship but anyone who sees these alone as divine actions then they have not understood the philosophy of Vedic knowledge. In fact the misapprehension of this Vedic principle alone has been the cause of practising ritualism mechanically and of the downfall in truly understanding the spirit of worship. The spirit of yagya or worship was revived once again in full throttle in the BhagwadGeeta where Sri Krishna gives a universal message to Arjuna where material yagya and temple worship was expanded to the realms of each and every action that we perform. Here we need to understand what are the actions ordained by the Vedas.

The Vedas suggest that we perform all our duties that come

to us as per our Varna (natural inclination) and Ashrama (stage of life). Varnas are classified as a Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya or Shudra. Likewise we belong to Brahmacharya ashrama, Grihastham Vanaprastha or Sannyasa ashrama. Once we discern our field of action as per our Varna and Ashram we need to perform all such actions with a spirit of yagya bhava. Performing actions with a spirit of Yagya bhava is the art of holistic living. A world-

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ly person ignorant of this art of living lives an individual-centric

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Sadhana Panchakam life suffering the pangs of anxiety, stress, selfishness, fear and insecurity whereas living with the spirit of yagya bhava is living a God-centric life which is obviously free of anxiety and stress as such a person can see an unseen hand sustaining every aspect of the world. It involves a vision of seeing every being pervaded by the same Ishvara and thus performing every duty, every action as a worship towards the Divine. If action is a worship then it must be an action of dynamism, creativity, selflessness and integrity. Any person who performs actions in this manner need not run after success and happiness, instead success and joy will follow such a person. Not only this such a karma yogi alone will be a good student of the Upanishads. For such a student knowledge will come like a duck takes to water. Thus the Acharya says perform

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all your actions as suggested by the Vedas.

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Mail from Poojya Guruji Handling Hopelessness & Dispair Hari om S.

Not â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;we allâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; but yes, majority of the people do think on these lines and inevitably do end up in hopelessness & despair. The other kind, minority, also initially realize the hopelessness of the ways of the world, but then do not despair, but re-think on their fundamental presumptions and do the necessary corrections.

Normally, a common man of the world starts his/her innings with two basic presumptions. One, that we are basically incomplete, and have come in this world to seek something; and Two, what we seek is out there in the world. Despair is basically a self-realization that neither of these presumptions were right. Instead of gravitating towards negative emotion of despair just humbly question your baseless presumptions and check out for alternate scenario. If at all you have to blindly follow someone, then why follow the stupid ways of the world, but rather follow the wise ones.

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What the wise ones realized was that we are neither incomplete, nor is the world capable of filling our imaginary empty cup. What

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we come here for is not to acquire some worldly objects or experiences but basically to wake up to the truth of life. Enlightenment is the real goal not extricating some extraneous experiences. Think.

Despair has tremendous energy, and can bring about profoundly positive or even disastrously negative outcomes. This crossroad is critical, so use your energy intelligently and turn the tables.

I am writing all this on my flight back to Indore. Had a great GGY and then Birding trips to Sattal, and then today morning to outskirts of Ayodhya. Everything was great. Blessings also to you for introducing us to nice people and getting things done.

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Lots of love & om,

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Gita Reflections

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nsof}txq#izkK iwtua 'kkSpektZoe~A czãp;Zefgalk p 'kkjhja ri mP;rsAA (Gita 17/14) 16

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Austerity-1 (nsof}txq#izkK------)

Swamini Samatananda

Worship of the Gods, the brahmins, the teachers, and the wise men, purity, straightforwardness, chastity, and nonviolence are said to be physical austerity

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(Gita : Ch-17 / Sh-14) 17

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Gita Reflections

n the Gita Yagya, Daana and Tapas are propound-

ed with utmost importance. It says that for an aspiring student of dharma and self-knowledge Yagya, Daana and Tapas should never be given up. It must be practised uncompromisingly and very deligently. Of these the practise of Yagya bhava is highlighted in every chapter of the Gita as the prerequisite of both knowledge and devotion. Daana and Tapas too have been emphasised upon at various places. In the seventeenth chapter which speaks of the three types of faith, Bhagwan Sri Krishna gives a vivid characterisation of Daana and Tapas. Daana has been explained on the basis of the attitudes of the three gunas-the sattva, rajas and tamas respectively. Tapas on the other hand has been explained on the basis of the organs of the body and later, on the basis of the three gunas as well. At the level of our bodily instruments tapas is explained at the level of the physical body, the speech and the mind.

Tapas means austerity. In this sloka the Lord unfolds the

essence of a healthy tapas done at the level of the physical body. Tapas has been one of the most highlighted and glorified feature of Hinduism. With the mention of tapas the pauranic lores instantly bring to our minds pictures of sadhus standing on one foot in extreme conditions of heat and cold and going without food and water for days together. In this sloka Bhagwan Krishna V edanta Sandes h

brushes aside such fanciful ideas of physical austerity. Instead he

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Gita Reflections gives us a very crisp understanding of physical auterity which brings about self-discipline, the power to firmly keep up to one’s resolve, and to channelise our body, sense organs, energy and mind towards our higher goal of holistic living and self-realization. The scriptural understanding of tapas is not a harsh supression of the body and mind but it is freeing the body and mind from past conditional behaviour and making them compatible for karma yoga, upasana and knowledge. Tapas is recharging the mind with fresh unagitated energy, conserving this energy and using it for overall spiritual upliftment. There couldnt be a more apt understanding of austerity than this as explained in the Gita by the Lord himself.

Here the sloka begins with austerity by worshiping of the

Devas, the Twice Born, the Guru, and the wise. Worshiping the Devas: Here we can see Deva as the Ishvara who is the creator, sustainer and destroyer of the entire universe. Even when we think of having an ishta devata it is sad that one must have an attitude of Ishvara in one’s personalized God too. Tuning oneself with Ishvara is tuning one’s self to a higher ideal. Having an attitude of reverence and devotion not only keeps us connected to the Divine but also brings about divine qualities in us as well. Worshipping the Deva is not only a feature of worshipping God in a temple but it soon shows in our actions, our responses, our interactions making our karmas a karma yoga. Our actions become an expression of worship with integrity, love, V edanta Sandes h

creativity and humility.

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Gita Reflections Worshiping the Twice Born: A Brahmin is called a twice born. A person is first born of his mother’s womb but the second birth takes place when we rise beyond our gross existence and walk the path of spiritual enquiry. A Brahmin is one who takes this path of learning and enquiry thus a Brahmin is not one who is born in Brahmin family but who is inclined towards acquiring and sharing of knowledge. Having reverence towards such Brahmins and serving them is phyiscal austerity. Worshipping the Guru: This is the ultimate form of worship because it is the Guru alone who teaches us to worship God and value knowledge. Worship and reverence towards the Guru, one’s Teacher is best practised by serving the Master in what ever way he is pleased, by casting aside all one’s personal likes and dislikes and by embibing and practising all the knowledge compassionately given by him. Having reverence towards all such wise men reflects our value for righteousness and knowledge. There cannot be a better practise of austerity than this. Purity and Straightforwardness: This nature of austerity opens the doors for more subtle understanding and practices for all spiritual seekers. Purity at the level of one’s own physical body, one’s sorroundings and environment reflects a sensitive mind. Only a mind which is sensitive at the gross level of his sorround-

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ings can dive into the subtle levels of the mind and beyond.

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Gita Reflections Likewise straightforwardness reveals a clean personality. A person whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s external expressions are a reflection of his inner mind. There is no duality. A person who is not straightforward will have a split personality thereby bringing about dissipation of energy, integrity, tranquility and honesty. Brahmacharya: Constantly revelling in the supreme goal of Brahman. For this one has to practise tapas of unnecessary indulgence in the world outside which bring about distraction and consume our valuable energy. Ahimsa: In Vedic understanding ahimsa is not literally practising non-injury at the level of the body as this may not be possible. Just as a doctor will use a knife to conduct a surgery but that is for the well-being of someone. There fore ahimsa implies refraining from any kind of physical, verbal or mental injury for the satisfaction of any kind of selfish motives.

In this manner all these points so far discussed constitute

physical austerity-Shareeram tapas. Practise of austerity in this manner not only helps us live a healthy worldly life but it slowly helps us evolve from the levels of a conditioned living and bring

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about a mindset which is more sensitive, subtle and pure.

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The Art Of Man Making

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Effortless Detachment

P.P. Gurudev Swami Chinmayanandaji 22

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The Art of Man Making

ny intelligent student of religion will have an

endless curiosity to know the nature of the Perfect Man from the spiritual and the cultural stand-point. We hear many as acclaimed prophets, as Godmen, as Rishis, as Men of realization. Yet, apparently, they lived a normal human life. Then what exactly are their outshining features because of which we recognise in them a special glow of divinity?

Many of them were married men-the Rishis of Vedic

lore-some of them were householders, at least one was a dynamic and authoritative king-Janaka-some were diplomats, some statesmen, and some remained in the seclusion of their caves, lost in contemplation. So it is a legitimate question the sceptical, militant prince Arjuna is asking. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;What then is the nature of the Man of Perfection?

Krishna answers with the following verses where he enu-

merates (1) the individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inner qualities, (2) his attitude towards things and happenings around him and (3) his relationship with the beings of the world.

He says, *When a man castes away, O Partha, all the de-

sires of his mind, ever satisfied in himself, by himself, then he is a man of steady wisdom.

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Deires rise from a sense of want or need felt in ourselves.

We all feel that our individual lives are not complete and in our

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The Art of Man Making urge to fulfil them, we strive to gain things necessary for it. This striving for acquiring things in order that we may come to feel fulfilled is called desire or lust (kaama). The imperfect tries to attain perfection, the unfulfilled tries to gain fulfillment, all through acquiring, possessing, and indulging in the sense-objects of the world.

As lomg as there are Vasanas in us, they must express

as desires, and so when ‘all desires in the heart are cast away’, when there are no more any desires rising, meaning when there are no more Vasanas manifesting into desire waves in the intellect, such a desireless man feels in himself such a rich fullness that he needs nothing to complete is sense of fulfilment.

This ‘desireless’ state can also come from the inertia and

supreme incompetency. But this is a negative state-the state of sleep or stupor. The perfect state of ‘desireless’ contentment comes on awakening to a larger dimension of existence in the Self, pure, infinite uncondtioned Consciousness. There want or sorrow cannot reach.

This state of desirelessness is the touchstone of a Man

of Perfection. Desirelessness in itself is not a sign of perfection. But if it arises from the discovery of a hidden sovereignity in an ampler dimension of Consciousness-the Self-it is the state of Perfection nay it is the goal of life.

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Such an individual is at once a master in himself and a

The Art of Man Making master of the outer world of contentions. A perfect saint is no victim of the worlds cruelties, nor does he initiate them in the world around him. *He is unshaken in adversity, completely unattached to pleasures free from the attachment, fear, anger. Such a one is indeed a seer of steady wisdom.

The objects of the world, when they are arranged to

provide a conducive pattern. the mind enjoys them and feels pleasure or joy; and if unconducive to it, the same mind feels miserable. This is a natural reaction of the mind. But he is a master who has trained his mind to be ‘unshaken in adversity’ (dukkheshu anugwign manaaha) and ‘in pleasure or joy to be without any craving or attachment for it’ sukheshu vigat sprihaha)

Modern psychologists may cry that such a mind is in an

unhealthy condition of mental paralysis. So the Lord adds, One who has become free from attachemnt, fear and anger it is a man of wisdom. A statement of the scriptures may often look innocent and quit clear. But these very inocent words smuggle deep down within themselves unexpected treasures of meaning. We may wonder why these three emotions are specifically mentioned - attachment (raag), fear (bhaya) and anger (krodha)-as absent from the mind of a master.

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A mind is attracted towards a thing or being only when

The Art of Man Making there is a Vasana for it. This attraction continues to be urgent and compelling and the realtionship of the Vasana-driven mind with the object of its fascination is called ‘attachment’. When that Vasana has ended, the attachment or affection also ends. (veetraagaha)

When raaga is strong, then our fear-anxiety for its safety

is great indeed. No one can be as anxious for the safety of a child as its own mother. This ‘fear’ for the secuirty and safety of a thing is directly proportional to one’s ‘attachment’ for it, which again is an expression of one’s Vasanas. When the Vasana had ended, the ‘attachment’ (raaga) also ends. Where ‘attachment’ is not there, ‘fear’ (bhaya) cannot be.

When an object of attachment is feared lost and found

again, the rebound of the mind when suddenly relieved is ‘anger’ (krodhah). When Vasana is eliminated, attachment drops off, fear ends; anger cannot rise. He in whom the Vasanas are ended, from him attachment, fear and anger are gone (veet raaga bhay krodhaha)

Krishna further says, *He who is everywhere unattached,

neither rejoices at the good nor is vexed by the evil, he is the master of perfect wisdom. He neither praises nor blames anyone because he has risen above both good and evil and has unV edanta Sandes h

derstood them to be two different conditions of the mind. This

The Art of Man Making is almost a direct answer to the question-’How does He speak?’

He has no attachment for the world of objects. When

once the Vasanas have ended, there is no ego to evaluate the things of the world and classify them as good and evil. The master accepts them for what they are, and is neither pleased nor vexed by the happenings on the lower plane of consciousness, where, of course, they are valid and natural.

Let auspiciousness (shubha) and inauspiciousness (ashub-

ha) come in clamorous processions! A man of steady wisdom faces life with a smile, never rejoicing at its pleasures now worrying over its sorrws. He stands a tower of strength, rising above the paltry world of pluraility and its endless contentions

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and pangs of pain.

Jivanmukta Wandering In Himalayas

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Trilokinath

Excerpts from the Travel Memoirs of Param Poojya 28 Swami Tapovanji Maharaj

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Jivanmukta A

s it rained everyday we had to endure far great-

er discomforts on our return trip. Fresh snow had fallen on the Lutang Pass but that did not make much of a difference in the volume and depth of the snow, since the old snow had melted away in the warmth of the Sun. However, the cold was still more intense and so we had to put up with serious discomforts on the way. But, Divine Grace, somehow, enabled us to overcome all such difficulties and reach Vasishta in safety. The villagers of Vasishta rejoiced at our success and received us jubilantly with great devotion. We lost no time in resuming our journey. We started the very next day following another route, that is, along the left bank of the Vyasaganga, and reached Kullu on the second day, crossing beautiful mountains, valleys, and villages en route. I decided to reach Uttarkasi before the Ashadha Purnima, the first day of the rainy season comprising the four months, and travel along the mountain routes, without climbing down to the plains. Having arrived at such a decision, I left Kullu on 22nd June, after invoking the blessings of Kasi Viswanath. It was at the beginning of June that I started on the journey from Vasishta to Thrilokeenath. The circumstances were not favourable to a longer stay at Thrilokee. Moreover, I did not feel the need to stay on. It was for these reasons that I cut short my stay rather abruptly and started for Uttarkasi on the bank of the Divine Ganga, where sadhus congregate and from where spiritual light radiates V edanta Sandes h

in all directions. Having thus spent two months and four days, from 18 th April (the day I left Hrishikesh) to 22nd June, on the bank of

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Jivanmukta the sacred Vyasaganga and at Thrilokeenath temple, in great joy, I bade good-bye to the other sadhus and started all alone in the direction of Soumya Kasi. Sri Sankara has sung “ (He indeed is lucky whose sole worldly possession is his underwear). The fewer one’s possessions, the greater are one’s enjoyment and freedom—it is an incontrovertible truth learnt by experience. While I was surrounded by several sadhus, in spite of their readiness to serve me, I never felt so happy as when I was all alone. Unaffected by the dual forces, living on food got by begging, pleased with howsoever little obtained by chance, I moved forward slowly, untouched by sorrow. I had to travel some distance along the route from Kullu to Simla. Simla is 22 miles away from Kullu. The first lap of the journey terminated at a small

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town called ‘ Ramapura ’.

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STORY Section 31

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Shri Shailam S

ri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Tem-

ple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deities Shiva and Parvati, located at Srisailam in Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is significant as this temple is referred to as one of the twelve Jyothirlingas of Lord Shiva and as one of the eighteen Shakti Peethas of goddess Parvati. Shiva is worshiped as Mallikarjuna, and is represented by the lingam. His consort Parvati is depicted as Brahmaramba. It is the one of the only three temples in India in which both Jyotirlinga and Shaktipeeth is revered. The legend is that Kumar Kartikeya, the eldest son of Lord Shiva once got angry and came to the Kronch Hills from Kailash. Lord Shiva and Maa Parvati came here and stayed on with the name Arjun and Mallika. Thus the place and the temple were called Mallikarjun. When Shiva and Parvati decided to find suitable brides for their sons, Ganesha and Kartikeya argued as to who is to get wedded first. Shiva bade that the one who goes around the world in Pradakshinam could get married first. By the time Kartikeya V edanta Sandes h

could go round the world on his vahana, Ganesha went round

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Sri Shailam his parents 7 times (for according to Shastras, going in pradakshinam round oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parents is equivalent to going once around the world (Bhupradakshinam)). Siva got Buddhi(intellect), Siddhi (spiritual power), and Riddhi (prosperity) married to Ganesha. Kartikeya on his return was enraged and went away to stay alone on Mount Kraunja in the name of Kumarabrahmachari. On seeing his father coming over to pacify him, he tried to move to another place, but on the request of the Devas, stayed close by. The place where Siva and Parvati stayed came to be known as Shrishailam. As per Hindu legend, the presiding deity in the form of Linga (an iconic form of Shiva) was worshipped with jasmine (locally called Mallika), leading to the name of presiding deity as

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Mallikarjuna.

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Mission & Ashram News

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Bringing Love & Light in the lives of all with the Knowledge of Self

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