Lord Daksinamurti

This weekend we visited Arsha Vidya Gurukulam situated in Pocono Mountains, PA USA with family and friends. It is in between acres and acres of land with several wooded trails. It was founded in 1986.

You can find more details about the same on their website. https://arshavidya.org/

Arsha Vidya is home to a shrine of Lord Daksinamurti, an incarnation of Lord Shiva.

To be very honest, all of my life I had never heard about Lord Daksinamurti. We all know Daksina means south and murti means form. Lord Dakshinamurti is always facing south. Also, Lord Daksinamurti is said to be a Guru or teacher who guides us on to the right path, he is worshipped as the god of wisdom. Lord Daksinamurti imparts knowledge with love and compassion.

Lord Daksinamurti is shown with four arms facing the south. He is seated with several sages listening in great attention to his teachings. His right foot is placed on the demon of ignorance ‘Apasmara’. Lord Daksinamurti left foot is folded on his lap as you seen in the above photo. One of his upper arms wields a snake and the other holds a flame. His lower right hand is shown in the Vyakhyanamudra posture and the lower left is shown grasping a bundle Holy Scriptures.

So, if you are reading this post, teach your kids this simple stotra of Lord Daksinamurti for them to attain knowledge and excel in their studies.

Om Namo Bhagwathe Dakshinamurthaye Mahyam, Medham Pragnam Prayacha Swaha!

“ಒಂ ನಮೋ ಭಗವತೇ ದಕ್ಷಿಣಾಮೂರ್ತಯೇ ಮಹ್ಯಂ ಮೇಧಾಂ ಪ್ರಜ್ಞಾಂ ಪ್ರಯಚ್ಛ ಸ್ವಾಹಾ” chant just 8 times daily. 

Thursday is when you do pooje for Lord Daksinamurti and also on Guru Purnima day.

There are several Mantras dedicated to Lord Daksinamurti and people pray to him for protection, overall well-being and success in education is what I was told from my friends.

I throughly enjoyed every minute of my stay, and completely forgot I even existed. That’s how powerful the Arsha Vidalaya premises are. The greenery like you can see, the satvic food, the vibration of listening the vedas was just out of this world.
If you are in USA, and are able to visit this amazing place, do make a trip.

Guru Purnima or Vyasa Purnima

Guru Purnima or Vyasa Purnima is dedicated to our Gurus they might be spiritual or even our teachers. For me, there is no greater spiritual guru other than my Late Mom and my Father. Every call I used to have with my Mother she had some spiritual story about either Shree Raghavendra Swamigalu, or our Dasaru or something she had read in the magazines. Mom was a voracious reader.

And now my Father every day when I talk to him, he guides me on every single step whether it is daily pooje, the significance of certain days, reciting certain slokas, or some important facts about our Gurugalu, Dasaru and God. He also like my mother is a voracious reader. Doesn’t watch TV, always has a book in his hand. Mostly written by our great Saints.

I owe everything I know, everything I do in my spiritual journey to my Parents. My Koti Koti namakaras to my mother and my Father on this day.

Today my father wrote a page about Guru Purnima and shared it on whatsapp. Attached is the same and I have also translated the same in English for everyone else.

Shree – 24/07/2021 (Saturday)

Vyasa Purnima

The birthday of Shree VedaVyasaru. Hence this day is called Vyasa Purnima or Guru Purnima. He is the great grandson of Sage Vashista. Grandson of Maharshi Shakthi. Son of Maharshi Parashira. His mother is Satyavathi.

1. Since he was born in the lineage of Vashista he is called “Vashista”.
2. Being the son of Parashara he is called “Parashara”.
3. Since he divided the Vedas he is called “Veda Vyasa”.
4. Since he did Tapasu in Badari to get Lord Narayana’s blessings “Badarayana”.
5. Being a part of Lord Vishnu ” Vishnu Kalodbhava”.
6. Being dark, and born in an island ” Krishna Dwaipayana” or “Dwaipayana”.

Created 18 puranas – 1 lakh slokas in Mahabharatha. Resides in all gyanis. That’s why this purnima is popularly known as “Vyasa Purnima” or “Guru Purnima”.

Shree Krishnarpanamasthu – BGS ( B G Subbarao)