Correct Names of Nakshatras in Sanskrit

 I give below the screenshots from Amarakosha, the authentic book for Sanskrit words, in Kannada script, compiled by Mahamahopadhyaya N. Ranganatha Sharma (Final authority for us, all Sanskrit students).

हरिरेव कर्ता

(story copied from FB.) 

The wooden core of the flagstaff (Dhwajasthambham) at Lord Venkateswara’s temple on the Tirumala hill had completely decayed!

Along with polishing the Ananda Nilayam Vimanam atop the Lord’s temple, we had taken up several repair works.

One day, suddenly, an engineer came running in panic and said: “The flagstaff has decayed.”

When we slowly removed the golden covering, we found that the wooden core inside had rotted all the way through. Then how was it standing? Only because of the support of the golden plates on it.

Service to the Lord with a decayed flagstaff? … It was sacrilege. I was filled with anxiety, restlessness, agitation, fear.

When we checked the records, there was no evidence of when the old wooden core had been installed. In the available records of the past 180–190 years, there was not even a mention of this flagstaff. So how old was it? What should we do now?

We needed to procure and install a teak tree 50–75 feet tall. The tree must:

Have no hollows

Have no branches

Have no cracks

Have no bends — it must be perfectly straight

Hopelessness set in. Was this even possible?

Still, hope did not die. Immediately, I contacted our State Forest Department officials. They said clearly: “It is impossible to find such a teak tree with these characteristics in our state.” They added that it might be found in the Western Ghats forests of Karnataka or Kerala.

Hearing this drained my strength. Meanwhile, media friends began spreading rumors that there was hidden treasure beneath the flagstaff!

A sense of helplessness enveloped me. In that state of utter confusion, I surrendered myself to Lord Srinivasa alone…

That night, around 10:30 PM, just as I was about to leave the temple, a devotee named H. S. R. Iyengar from Bengaluru called me.

Though tired, I answered. He spoke rapidly: “Sir, I heard on the radio that you are planning to replace the flagstaff. For such a flagstaff, you need a teak tree at least 280–300 years old. Such a tree may be found only in the Dandeli forests of Karnataka. The Chief Conservator of Forests there is a close friend of mine. If you permit, I will search the forests with his help and select a suitable tree. Please write a formal letter to him. Leave the rest of the coordination to me.”

Immediately, even while sitting in the temple, I spoke over the phone with the Karnataka Chief Secretary and the Chief Conservator and obtained their assurance. By then, it was past 11 PM.

With Iyengar’s initiative, the Chief Conservator and his staff searched the forests and, after examining nearly 100 trees, identified 16 teak trees in the Dandeli hills as potentially suitable.

Coincidentally, that very week, Karnataka Chief Minister Sri Gundu Rao visited Tirumala with his family. When I explained the issue to him, he immediately declared: “Let Karnataka donate the new flagstaff timber to TTD.”

That weekend, along with our engineers, Iyengar, and the Chief Conservator, we inspected those 16 trees. Only six trees met the required standards. Of those, two were taller than our needs. Keeping TTD’s future requirements in mind, I requested all six trees.

Wonderful! When we met the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary in Bengaluru, they declared that all six trees would be donated.

Tree-felling began — and then another complex problem arose. The forest terrain was so uneven that the main road was several kilometers away. How could such massive logs be transported?

Strangely enough, timber cutters working for Somani Paper Mill in that forest learned about our situation. The mill management and staff came forward and said: “Sir, leave this work to us. Consider this our service to Lord Srinivasa.”

Within a week, the trees were felled and brought to the road using ropes, pulleys, and chains. Iyengar again took initiative and arranged a 16-wheeler long truck.

Within two days, the truck carrying all six logs reached Bengaluru. Near Vidhana Soudha, after a small prayer, the Chief Minister formally handed them over to TTD. As I touched those logs amidst thousands of people, my body thrilled with indescribable joy. (Why was that so?)

The very next day by 4 PM, the truck reached Tirupati. Near the dairy farm outside town, thousands of men and women gathered. They welcomed the logs with lamps, chanting “Govinda, Govinda.”

Within another hour, the truck reached Alipiri, the start of the ghat road.

Until then, it was all joy. The driver got down, looked at the hill road — 18–19 km long, with 7–8 dangerous hairpin bends — and came to me.

“Sir, this is the greatest challenge of my life. I must drive continuously uphill without stopping. Some parapet walls may break. Rocks may fall. It may take any number of hours — but I must do this.”

I assured him: “Even if rocks fall or walls collapse, you are not responsible. We will handle everything.”

Traffic going uphill was diverted to the old ghat road.

As dusk fell, bathed in crimson twilight, the teak logs — destined to become the Lord’s flagstaffs — began their ascent.

Just as feared:

At some bends, the logs hit the mountainside and rocks fell

At others, parapet walls collapsed

At some turns, trailer wheels slipped over the edge

Watching from behind, we trembled with fear. At a couple of bends, half the trailer seemed ready to plunge into the valley.

Minutes felt like hours. “Govinda… Govinda…”

And then — in just 55 minutes, defying all odds, the truck reached Tirumala.

Hundreds of devotees and TTD employees burst into joyous chants of “Govinda–Govinda.” The Tirumala hills echoed.

I could not believe my eyes. Waves of joy surged within me, touching the sky. Tears of devotion flowed from my eyes, and I stood frozen in bliss.

What a wonder! The truck that started from Alipiri at sunset reached the hilltop before the sun fully set behind the Western Ghats.

Even more astonishing — the truck owner, who followed us by car, folded his hands and said: “This is my fortune — to serve the Lord in such a way. I will not take a single paisa as transport charges.”

Iyengar, the truck owner, and the driver were honored with Vedic blessings, special darshan, and the Lord’s sacred garments.

Now came the next question: How do we install the flagstaff?

After endless discussions till midnight, exhausted, we postponed the decision to the next day. Sleep eluded me.

After enduring such hardships to bring the teak logs, why couldn’t we solve this final step?

Then a thought arose: “The same power that accomplished all this — won’t it complete the rest? If it is destined that this flagstaff be installed through me, it will happen. Otherwise, it won’t.”

Peace returned. I slept soundly.

The next morning, someone suggested: “Why not bring the log through the main gateway, lifting the top end high, keeping the base on the ground like a lever, and raise it directly through the pavilion opening? Let us take help from the Papavinasanam Dam engineers and skilled artisans.”

A brilliant idea! Measurements were taken rapidly. Engineers confirmed it was feasible without obstructing pilgrim queues.

Without delay, at an auspicious time, the chosen teak log was brought through the temple streets, the Gollamandapam, and the main gateway. Supports were erected carefully. As artisans slowly pushed the log forward, it rose perfectly and entered the pavilion opening. By evening, without any damage, the Dandeli forest teak tree stood erect as Tirumalesa’s flagstaff.

What a miracle! What compassion of Lord Srinivasa!

One final moment: As per scriptures, nine gems and nine grains were placed beneath the flagstaff. Suddenly, I felt an impulse — I removed the gold chain with Lord Srinivasa’s pendant from my neck and placed it inside. Immediately, priests, donors, VIPs, and devotees followed, filling another box with jewelry.

After sealing them and pouring concrete, the flagstaff was installed exactly at 90 degrees, as prescribed. (The old flagstaff was ceremonially laid to rest at the Papavinasanam Dam.)

Within a month, the platform, gold plating, flag, and sacrificial altar were completed.

On June 10, 1982, amid Vedic chants and blessings, the flagstaff and altar were consecrated. Six days later, on June 16, I handed over charge and was transferred.

As I left that morning, I looked at the teak tree that came from Dandakaranya and became the flagstaff. The bells near the flag fluttered gently, as if greeting me.

An elderly scholar nearby smiled and recited:

“I am not the doer — Hari is the doer. All worship and actions are His. If any good is done through me, It is only by His grace.”

(Source: Former IAS officer P. V. R. K. Prasad — “Nāham Kartā, Hariḥ Kartā”)

Om Namo Venkatesaya!

🙏🙏

Why do we always make the same mistakes?

In the Gita, after Krishna explains to Arjuna the secret of doing every action as one's offering to Existence, Arjuna asks a very interesting question:

Why do we keep making the same mistakes, knowing full well they are wrong and pull us down? 

Krishna gives a most insightful amswer. 

Thw two things that make ua repeat mistakes are:

Lust and Anger. 

They are so powerful that we have to fight them aa our worst enemies. And like the Trojan horse, they are already within us!!! 

Lust is not only about sex but also about all uncontrollable cravings for all sensual and material and even mental stimulations. It can never be satisfied as new cravings spring constantly. Cravings mute or destroy our good sense about what ia right and wrong! 

The only way to deal with Lust is to watch over our mind, nip such cravings in the bud, and humour the mind to develop self-control.

What about Anger? 

Anger is more inflammatory, and generally comes from thwarted expectations. That is really Maya because we expect the world to run according to our beliefs and notions whereas the only thing the world follows is the Eternal Principle of Existence. 

When anger explodes, it is like blowing up a car from within. There is damage all around but the biggest loser is the angry man. He can lose friends, confidence, respect, and even life. The rule to deal with anger is to watch over oneself and take a deep breath before reacting... Often this simple technique puts out such explosions. 

Both lust and anger are our enemies lurking in the basement of our mind. We have to pray to get rid of them! 

हरिः ॐ तत् सत् 

Learn Sanskrit through Shlokas! -12

करचरणकृतं वाक्कायजं कर्मजं वा 

श्रवणनयनजं वा मानसं वापराधम् ।

विहितमविहितं वा सर्वमेतत् क्षमस्व

जय जय करुणाब्धे श्रीमहादेव शम्भो ॥   

karacaraṇakṛtaṃ vākkāyajaṃ karmajaṃ vā

śravaṇanayanajaṃ vā mānasaṃ vāparādham ।

vihitamavihitaṃ vā sarvametat kṣamasva

jaya jaya karuṇābdhe śrīmahādeva śambho ॥

Oh, the Auspicious Great God Shiva, the Ocean of Mercy, Glory, glory to you! Kindly forgive my wrongs, committed with hands and feet, through words and actions, my misdeeds, transgressions committed by my ears and eyes, even my wrong thoughts, those done deliberately or even inadvertently, all my misdeeds, oh Lord!

karacaraṇakṛtaṃ committed with hands and feet

vāk-kāyajaṃ through words and actions

karmajaṃ vā or misdeeds, transgressions

śravaṇanayanajaṃ committed by my ears and eyes

vā mānasaṃ or my wrong thoughts

vā or

aparādham misdeed

vihitam done deliberately

avihitaṃ inadvertently

vā or

sarvametat all my misdeeds

kṣamasva Kindly forgive

jaya jaya Glory, glory to you!

karuṇābdhe the Ocean of Mercy!

śrīmahādeva śambho Oh, the Auspicious Great God Shiva!

This prayer to Shiva comes in a famous stotra Shiva Manasa Puja composed by Jagadguru Adi Shankara.

 

When something is done, e.g. भुक्तम् bhuktam meaning "eaten", in Sanskrit, we use a form called क्त कृदन्तप्रत्यय kta kṛdantapratyaya. Some examples are used here - कृतम् , विहितम्, kṛtam and vihitam. 

Vande mātaram ! Vande samskṛtam !

Learn Sanskrit through Shlokas! -11

मृत्युञ्जयाय रुद्राय नीलकण्ठाय शम्भवे ।

अमृतेशाय शर्वाय महादेवाय ते नमः ॥ 

mṛtyuñjayāya rudrāya nīlakaṇṭhāya śambhave ।

amṛteśāya śarvāya mahādevāya te namaḥ ॥

Oh Lord Shiva, the Great God, the Destroyer, the Lord of the Immortals, the Auspicious One, the Blue-throated One, the Fierce One, and the one who helps conquer death itself, obeisances to you!

mṛtyuñjayāya The one who helps conquer death itself

rudrāya The Fierce One

nīlakaṇṭhāya The Blue-throated One

śambhave The Auspicious One

amṛteśāya The Lord of the Immortals

śarvāya The Destroyer

mahādevāya The Great God

te to you,

namaḥ Obeisances!

This prayer to Shiva is ancient and lists all the attributes of the God who dwells in 12 sacred places across India in the form of the Jyotirliṅga or the Luminous Lingam.

The word namaḥ has already occurred in many shlokas. It means Obeisances, Prayers, and so on. Interestingly, the Vibhakti used for the person being worshipped is the Fourth Vibhakti, or the Dative Case. All the attributes of Shiva here are in the Dative case. All except śambhave have the form similar to Rāmāya, Ganeśāya, Kṛṣṇāya. That is because the root noun ends in a. śambhu, guru and such words end in u. So we say śambhave, gurave, ... in the Fourth Vibhakti.

Vande mātaram ! Vande samskṛtam !

Learn Sanskrit through Shlokas! -10

आपदां अपहर्तारं दातारं सर्वसम्पदाम् । 

लोकाभिरामं श्रीरामं भूयो भूयो नमाम्यहम् ॥

āpadāṃ apahartāraṃ dātāraṃ sarvasampadām । 

lokābhirāmaṃ śrīrāmaṃ bhūyo bhūyo namāmyaham ॥

I bow down repeatedly to Lord Sri Rama, who is the remover of all difficulties ans dangers, the giver of all riches, and the supreme delighter of all creation! 

āpadāṃ of difficulties and dangers

apahartāraṃ the remover 

dātāraṃ the giver

sarvasampadām of all riches

lokābhirāmaṃ the supreme delighter of all creation

śrīrāmaṃ to Lord Sri Rama

bhūyaḥ bhūyaḥ again and again

namāmi aham I bow down.

This verse is recited during every Ekadashi in several prayer meetings. It is a sincere prayer of a devotee who has absolute faith in the godly glory of Sri Rama - omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent and supreme in compassion!

The Sanskrit is quite simple, and has Samasa-s to create compound words and compact the verse.

Vande mātaram ! Vande samskṛtam !