MahavakyaPancaka - Sloka 2

yat-janitam etad-akhilam jagad anityam

svapnajagad abhragaja-väri vanatulyam |

apramita-mürti-rahitam parasukham yat

tattvamasi tattvamasi tattvamasi räjan || 2

yat-janitam – from which is created

etad-akhilam – this whole

jagad – world

anityam – which is non-eternal

svapnajagad – like the world in the dream

abhragaja-väri – like the water in the clouds

vanatulyam – and similar to the forest

apramita-mürti-rahitam – that which is devoid of any form and cannot be the object of any means of right knowledge

parasukham yat – which is the ultimate bliss

tattvamasi tattvamasi tattvamasi – That you are, That you are, That you are

räjan - oh King.

Oh King, you are the Self, Which is the cause of the creation, sustanance and dissolution of this whole world, which (world) is euphemeral like the world of the dream state or the water of the clouds cannot quench our immediate thirs and like the forest will make us loose track of the Self. Giving up the association with it, knowing clearly it to be euphemeral, know the ultimate bliss which is not an object to any means of right knowledge.

MahavakyaPancaka - Sloka 1

nistamasi nérajasi nirgalitasattve

tejasi vivekajuñi bhedam atiçünye |

nirvacana mänasa patädhigamacintyam

tattvamasi tattvamasi tattvamasi räjan || 1

nistamasi - that which is devoid of the tamo guna or that which has no association what-so-ever with the igonarance

nérajasi  - that which devoid of the rajo guna or that which has no association with the effects of rojoguna, which is the activity

nirgalitasattve – that which is devoid of the sattva guna or that which has not fallen from the sattva - existence

tejasi – though so, that which is ever shining

vivekajuñi – that which is attained by the knowledge or that which is the embodiment of knowledge

bhedam atiçünye – that which does not have even an ioto of duality or that for which nothing exists other than itself

nirvacana – explainable

mänasa – thinkable

patädhigamacintyam – or attainable that which is not.

tattvamasi tattvamasi tattvamasi – That you are, That you are, That you are

räjan - oh King.

Oh King, you are the Self, that which is devoid of any association with the cause or the effect of the three gunas. Which cannot be even thought of being gained through the actions of body, speech or the mind. Which is the evershining knowledge princliple devoid of the duality of known and knower.

Note : This text is attributed to the disciples of Bhagavan Bhashyakara, sung when he had entered the body of a King to know and answer the questions of Smt Vani , wife of Sri Mandana Mishra, on the Kama Kalas; to remind him of his true Self :) . The original text is not found in any of the DikVijaya, except Sri Ananda Giri Acharya, refers to a similar sloka.

Rama or Ravana ?

Just recently a politician started the debate about Rama, again (many have done this even before and will do it later too). Now, many people just to prove that Rama is great try comparing him with “demon” king Ravana.

This an age-old debacle. And even some sadhus who belong to the northern belt have this bias, and use illogical logic with the southern people.

Rama is no doubt Great, that does not and need not be at the cost of Ravana.

One should understand that Ravana is a great bhakta of Lord Shiva, who had visiting rights everyday J in Kailas. If you start condemning him, the whole bhakti cult, even of Rama, will prove to be useless. Because even after God realization the wickedness , desire, hatred seems not to get destroyed. (And, his Jata kata from shiva thandava stotra is sung at the end of every feast (bandara) offered to Sadhus J)

One should not throw stones from a glass house. Ravana was a great ruler and a very loving and affectionate person; this can be seen even in the version of Ramayana which speaks great about Rama. And, only for the love for the sister he abducted Ramas wife. If that is  adharma, than, even what Rama did cannot be termed as dharma, killing of Vali from hidden place, Sending Sita to forest etc.

The discussion of Dharma and Adharma is a very complicated thing. So, what is the truth or how should we understand this?

It is said in skanda purana that, Ravana went to Kailas to ask Shiva to remove this burden of Body which is what seperates him from the Shiva. For which shiva says, his punya is so much (very great) that it is possible for even him to destroy him. Hurt by these words, Ravana asks for a means to destroy the body (mind suicide is not accepted to be a proper way). For which shiva says, Vishnu will take an avatar of Rama to destroy the demons, and Ravana can help in doing it. But, helping an avatar will only be a action of Punya, therefore, he instructs him to kidnap Ramas wife, which is a greater sin. And thereby achieve his desired exit from the body.

Even Adyatma Ramayana explains, the story from the standpoint, that ravana knew the result of his every action.

Ironically, people from south, who are dubbed as the people from Ravana land, have not built any temple for ravana, though there are many figures of ravana pulling the car (ther) or in the palanquin. But, in the heartland of Rama, near Kanpur, there is a temple for Ravana.