ARSHA VIDYA GURUKULAM ( ANAIKATTI)

The ancient Vedic education is the identity of our nation. However with the course of time, this system of education started declining because of the Macaulay’s education system imposed by British. Arsha Vidya Gurukulam has made an effort to revive this tradition of Vedic education so as to preserve our rich and varied heritage of knowledge.

Located in a serene environment in the picturesque Nilgiri mountains at a distance of 25 km from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu state, the gurukulam mainly imparts knowledge of Advaita Vedanta and Sanskrit to the students. The word ‘Arsha’ means that which is from the Rishis - the great sages of ancient India. Arsha Vidya Gurukulam is a place where one learns the teachings imparted by the Rishis.
Established in 1990 by Swami Dayananda Saraswati, an eminent teacher of Vedanta and an erudite scholar in Sanskrit, the Gurukulam is patterned on the lines of the ancient gurukulams of India. The Gurukulam offers Indians and Westerners alike an opportunity to study the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Brahmasutras and other related classic texts. Here, Vedanta is taught true to the sampradaya, the traditional way of teaching, in a setup which is as modern as it is traditional. The students come here and live with the teacher, learning as much from living in the gurukulam as from the teaching. The students are selected from all over the world, based on their interest and commitment to learn.

Infrastructure:

The infrastructural facility includes computers, scanner, printer, digital camera, high definition video camera, facilities for researchers to stay comfortably and a good library. The gurukulam has a digital library. The library has digital images of palm leaf manuscripts and paper manuscripts running to around 5 to 6 lakh pages and video documentation of rituals running to more than 100 hours. As a part of the effort to bring into print some unpublished texts, a team of scholars has been constituted as a part of the Research Council. 

Temples and cow protection:

There are two temples inside the gurukulam premises, one for Lord Dakshinamurti and the other for Lord Kalyana Subramanya (Murugan). 

Courses:

The long-term study programme has a syllabus that includes study of Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, Vedanta prakaranas like Tattvabodha, Atmabodha, Panchadashi etc, Brahmasutra and Sanskrit with Paninian system of Grammar. All these imply the study of Sankara Bhashya in the original. Besides all this, there is a daily meditation and satsangs (which are often question and answer sessions). Currently a three year long term course (begun in 2010 ) is in progress with more than 80 resident students from all over the globe studying the
Sankara Prasthantraya.

Bhagavad Gita Home Study Programme: The gurukulam has a Bhagavad Gita Home Study Course, a very effective way of imbibing the teaching. The course material, comprising of a set of four volumes, is based on actual classroom teaching of the complete Bhagavad Gita to students of a three-year programme in Vedanta. Bhagavad Gita home study MP3 CD set made up of seven CDs which cover all the 360 plus classes form the basis for home study material. 

Contact: 

Arsha Vidya Gurukulam
Anaikatti P O, Coimbatore
Tamil Nadu 641 108, India.
Phone: 91-422-2657001
E-mail: office@arshavidya.in

How to reach:

Gurukulam is situated to the North-West of Coimbatore at a distance of 45 km from airport and 30 km from the railway station or the central bus stand. 

By air: Coimbatore Airport, known as Peelamedu Airport, is at a distance of 10 km from the city center. Coimbatore is connected by air to airports in South India, especially to Chennai. 

By train: Coimbatore junction is a major railway station in Southern Railway. 

By bus: State road transport corporations of Tamil Nadu and Kerala operate many bus services from Coimbatore connecting various cities in the state. 
... ...
Source : http://www.newsbharati.com

LEARN SANSKRIT AND VEDANTA ONLINE !!

COURSE : INTRODUCTION TO SAMSKRITAM  - Dates to be announced!

  

Guru Paduka Stotram by Sri Shankaracharya

गुरुपादुकास्तोत्रम्

Guru Paduka Stotram
as taught by Swamini Brahmaleenanandaji - disciple of Pujya Swami Dayanandaji

( composed by Sankaracharya)

Guru Paduka Stotram is a well known and famous Stotra glorifying the Padukas of Guru. The word padukaabhyaam is in the fourth case ( vibhakti in sanskrit), dual.These verses describe the glory of the two padukas and what they can do.Most of the adjectives qualifying the padukas are compounds in sanskrit The devotees study it daily and when the meaning is also brought to mind then alone there is real joy. Here the meaning of the individual sanskrit words as well as the meaning of verses are given.

Verse 1. अनन्त-संसार-समुद्र-तार नौकायिताभ्याम् गुरुभक्तिदाभ्याम् ।

                 वैराग्य-साम्राज्यद-पूजनाभ्याम् नमो नमः श्री गुरुपादुकाभ्याम् ।।

   

      अनन्त-संसार-समुद्र-तार – (The gurupadukas ), which help cross over the ocean of samsara,                                                                      

     नौकायिताभ्याम् – (The gurupadukas ), by being like a boat

     गुरुभक्तिदाभ्याम् – (The gurupadukas )Which endow me with devotion to Guru,

     वैराग्य-साम्राज्यद-पूजनाभ्याम् – The worship of which  blesses us with the wealth of vairagya.

     नमो नमः श्री गुरुपादुकाभ्याम् - My namaskaaras  to those holy sandals of my Guru.

   I again and again do namaskaar to the holy padukas of my Guru , which serve as a boat to cross this ( seeming) shoreless ocean of samsara (भवसागर, bhavasaagara) and which grant us the devotion and fullness ( aaptakama vairagya) to those who worship them.

Verse 2. कवित्ववाराशि-निशाकराभ्याम् दौर्भाग्य-दावाम्बुद-मालिकाभ्याम् ।

                 दूरीक्रिता-नम्र-विपत्ततिभ्याम्  नमो नमः श्री गुरुपादुकाभ्याम् ।।

कवित्ववाराशि – Ocean of poetry, knowledge and literary splendour.

निशाकराभ्याम् - (The gurupadukas ), which are like the full moon,

दौर्भाग्य -Misfortunes, दाव -fire, अम्बुद - water, मालिकाभ्याम् – garlands of rain bearing clouds, दूरीक्रिता - remove, नम्र - who prostrate, विपत्ततिभ्याम् – stream of adversities,

 नमो नमः श्री गुरुपादुकाभ्याम् - My namaskaaras to holy sandals of my guru.

 I again and again do namaskaar to the holy padukas of my Guru , which are like the full moon for the surging ocean of poetry and knowledge, which are the garland of rain bearing clouds that put out the scorching fire of samsara and which remove the distress of those that worship them.

Verse 3.  नता ययोः श्रीपतिताम् समीयुः कदाचिदप्याशु दरिद्रवर्याः

                मूकाश्च वाचस्पतिताम् हि ताभ्याम् नमो नमः श्री गुरुपादुकाभ्याम् ।।

नता – who prostrate, ययोः – to the gurupadukas , श्रीपतिताम् – for the  affluent समीयुः – have turned out, कदाचिदप्याशु – even, दरिद्रवर्याः- those afflicted by poverty, मूकाश्च- the mute, वाचस्पतिताम् – for the eloquent speakers, हि- indeed, ताभ्याम्

नमो नमः श्री गुरुपादुकाभ्याम् - My namaskaaras to holy sandals of my guru.

I again and again do namaskaar to the holy padukas of my Guru the worship of which transforms quickly even the worst of the poverty stricken to gain nature of Lord of Sri , becoming possessors of great wealth and which transform the mute ones to eloquent speakers ( vaachaspati, brihaspati, devaguru) endowed with vaak shakti.

Verse 4 नालीकनीकाश पदाहृताभ्याम् नाना विमोहादिनिवारिकाभ्याम् ।

                नमज्जनाभीष्ट ततिप्रदाभ्याम् नमो नमः श्री गुरुपादुकाभ्याम् ।।

 नालीक - A bunch of lotus, नीकाश- similar to, पद -legs

आहृताभ्याम् - attractive, नाना विमोहादि- all kinds of desires born of ignorance,  

निवारिकाभ्याम् – ( the gurupadukas) which remove, नमज्जन - who bow their heads,

अभीष्ट- desires, तति - plenty,

प्रदाभ्याम् – ( the gurupadukas), those which fulfil.

नमो नमः श्री गुरुपादुकाभ्याम् - My namaskaaras to holy sandals of my guru.

I again and again do namaskaar to the holy padukas of my Guru, which are the beautiful lotus Feet capable of removing delusion , sorrow etc born of ignorance, and which grant countless blessings to those who bow down to them.

Verse 5  नृपालिमौलि व्रजरत्न कान्ति सरिद्विराजज्झषकन्यकाभ्याम् ।

                नृपत्वदाभ्याम् नतलोक-पङक्तेः नमो नमः श्री गुरुपादुकाभ्याम् ।।

 नृपालि- of the king, मौलि - the crown, व्रजरत्न – precious stone, कान्ति - shine like,

सरिद् - A big river, विराज – infested, झषकन्यकाभ्याम् – water mermaids, नृपत्वदाभ्याम् -lifted up to the great rank of sovereignty,

नतलोक-पङक्तेः - to whom a queue of people bowed at,

नमो नमः श्री गुरुपादुकाभ्याम् - My namaskaaras to holy sandals of my guru.

My namaskars to those holy padukas of my Guru, which shine like the precious gem adorning the crown of a king which are lustrous like the river in which the mermaids are dancing and which ( holy padukas) elevate the rows of people bowing to them to the status of kings.Such is the glory of the padukas that even the impossible becomes possible.

Verse 6 पापान्धकारार्कपरम्पराभ्याम् तापत्रयाहीन्द्रखगेश्वराभ्याम् ।

                जाड्याब्धिसंशोषणवाडवाभ्याम् नमो नमः श्री गुरुपादुकाभ्याम् ।।

  

पापान्धकार- Darkness of ignorance, परम्परा- a chain of, अर्क- Sun, तापत्रय - threefold afflictions of Samsara, अहीन्द्र - like the king of serpents, खगेश्वराभ्याम् – The eagle garuda , who is king of birds, जाड्य– insentience, अब्धि - an ocean, संशोषण- that dries away, वाडवाभ्याम् - a terrific fire

नमो नमः श्री गुरुपादुकाभ्याम् - My namaskaaras to holy sandals of my guru.

I again and again prostrate to those holy Sandals of my Guru, which are like the great fire which dries up the ocean of ignorance, which are like an eagle for the serpentlike afflictions samsara.

Verse 7  शमादिषट्कप्रदवैभवाभ्याम् समाधिदानव्रतदीक्षिदाभ्याम्।

                 रमाधवाङिघ्र- स्थिरभक्तिदाभ्याम् नमो नमः श्री गुरुपादुकाभ्याम् ।।

शमादिषट्क-  the sixfold qualifications beginning with शम, प्रद - endows,

वैभवाभ्याम्– wealth, glory, समाधिदानव्रतदीक्षिदाभ्याम्- initiated with the vow of charity & samadhi ( absorption, concentration), रमाधव- Lord of Sri, i.e. Vishnu,

अङिघ्र- feet, स्थिरभक्तिदाभ्याम् – that bless with steadfast devotion.

नमो नमः श्री गुरुपादुकाभ्याम् - My namaskaaras to holy sandals of my guru.

My prostrations to those Padukas of my guru which grant us the wealth of six qualities beginning with Shama, which have as though taken a vow to bless with the wealth of samadhi and which bless the devotees with steadfast devotion to the feet of Lord Vishnu.

Verse 8  स्वार्चापराणामखिलेष्टदाभ्याम् स्वाहासहायाक्षधुरन्धराभ्याम्

                स्वान्ताच्छभावप्रदपूजनाभ्याम् नमो नमः श्री गुरुपादुकाभ्याम्

स्वार्चापराणाम- who are parayan for sewa, अखिलेष्टदाभ्याम् - bestows all the wishes of them, स्वाहासहायाक्षधुरन्धराभ्याम् –

स्वान्ताच्छभावप्रदपूजनाभ्याम् - which grace ones’ own hidden real nature,

नमो नमः श्री गुरुपादुकाभ्याम् - My namaskaaras to holy sandals of my guru.

I again and again prostrate to those Padukas of my Guru, which grants all the wishes of those devoted disciples and which grants chittashuddhi ( purity of antahkarana) to those who do puja.

Verse 9 कामादिसर्पव्रजगारुडाभ्याम् विवेकवैराग्यनिधिप्रदाभ्याम् ।

         बोधप्रदाभ्याम् द्रुतमोक्षदाभ्याम् नमो नमः श्री गुरुपादुकाभ्याम् ।।

कामादिसर्प - the serpant of desires, व्रजगारुडाभ्याम् - like an eagle,

विवेकवैराग्यनिधिप्रदाभ्याम् - bless with the treasure of discrimination & dispassion,

बोधप्रदाभ्याम् – which grant knowledge, द्रुतमोक्षदाभ्याम् – which bless with moksha quickly,

नमो नमः श्री गुरुपादुकाभ्याम् - My namaskaaras to holy sandals of my guru.

I again and again prostrate to those Padukas of my Guru which are like the eagle Garuda for the serpent like desires, ( padukas) which bless us with the treasure of discrimination, dispassion and knowledge, and which bless us quickly with moksha.

PROTECTION of COW - गोरक्षणम्

 “Cows are the mothers of both the Past and the Future. Every morning, people should bow with reverence unto cows. Cows are sacred. They are the foremost of all things in the world. They are verily the refuge of the universe. They are the mothers of the very deities. They are verily incomparable. Cows are the mothers of the universe. There is no gift more sacred than the gift of cows. There is no gift that produces more blessed merit".  Quote from Mahabharata

Pujya Swamiji says ......

Different activities are necessary for a given society or community – priestcraft,

administration, ruling, police, army , commerce, farming , agriculture. Then when it comes to agriculture  ( farming)– we don’t say cattle farm , we say गोरक्षणम्. Very interesting. कृषि गो रक्षणम्. कृषि is farming or cultivation. But when it comes to गो - cow , it is गोरक्षणम्. It is very significant.

All over the world they have cattle farms. We don’t have cattle farms , instead we have got गोरक्षणम् , protection of cows. धर्मरक्षणम् (protection of dharma) implys गोरक्षणम् also. This is purely in भारत (India), this गोरक्षणम्. Therefore in the Indian Constitution there are many directives and  one of them is गोरक्षणम्. That means in the states of India we can bring about a ban on cow slaughter in keeping with the directives of Constitution. Every state can ban cow slaughter.

Cow is उपलक्षणम्  ( symbolic) ie  stands for other animals also. Therefore ‘न हिंस्यात्’, (  do not cause injury). Don’t do हिंसा ( violence) to animals, when they don’t do any हिंसा to you. हिंसां न कुर्यात् , don’t commit violence.

सुभाषितम्

चिन्तनीया हि विपदामादादेव प्रतिक्रिया।
न कूपखननं युक्तं प्रदीप्ते वह्निना गृहे॥

"Before starting any task it is always wise to anticipate the probable hurdles. Impelled by desire one should not start an activity without analysing the pros and cons.Digging a well after the house is on fire is of no use."