Sri Suktham

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OM NAMAH SHIVAYA

"Sarva Mangalya Maangalyae Shive Sarvaartha Saadhike Saranye Thriyambage Devi Narayani Namosthithe"
This is one mantram that I learned from Kochappan who taught me and my cousins to chant prayers daily in the evening before the 'Vilakku' the traditional lamp burning with cotton dripped in Oil. Some will call the title as "Sthree Suktham" as a Purusha Suktham is also there. The most chanted line is given in bold as it is not possible to read all the lines correctly because it is complex and most of us donot know Sanskrit. This 'Sri Suktham' is praise of godess Lakshmi who gives wealth to all (God of wealth).
The meaning of each and every word I donot know but the second sentence in bold states "Holder of Wealth, Please Grant Money(Artham), Increment in Children and Generation, Money and food Grains(Vikasanam)" and so on. Actually I learned it in Malayalam and so I write the main lines in Malayalam below.

Sri Suktham:

• Hiranya Varnaam Harineem Suvarnarajathasrijam Chandraam Hiranmayeim Lakshmeem Jadavedomaavaham Thaamavaha Jadavedobhalaksmeem Anabhagamineem Yesyam Hiranyam Vindeyam Gamaswam PurushanAham.
  


• AswaPoorvam RathaMadyam Hasthinadaprabhodhineem SriyamdeveeMu: Pahvesriermadeveem Jhushadhaam; KhamSosmidham HiranyaprakaramArdraam jwalantheem Triptaam Tharpayentheem Padmesthitham PadmaVarnaam Thamihopahvesriyam.


• Chandraam Prabhasam YeshasaJwalandheem SriyamlokedevajushtamUdharaam; ThaamPadmineeum SaranamAham Pravadhye LakshmeermeNasyathaam TwaamVrinae. Adityavarne Thapasodhi-jaadovanaspathisthava Vrikshodha Vilvaha: Thasya Balaani Thapasaanudanthu Mayamtharayacha Bahaya Lakshmeem.
  

• Upaydhumaam Devasaka Keerthischa ManiNasaha Pradhir BoodhosmiRashtresmin Kerthim ridhimDatatume Shustipasa AmalamJeyastamAlakshmeemNa ShyamiyAham Abhudheem AsamridheemCha SarvaamNirnidha me Grihat.


• Gandhadhaaram Dhuradarshaam Nithyapustaam Kareeshineem Eeswareem Sarvabhootha nam Thamyahopahvesrayam ManasahaKama Akutim VachaSatyam Ashimahi PashunamGa RoopamMannasya MayiSri ShreyathamYeshasha:
  

• KardhamenaPrajabhootha Mayisambhava Kardhamam SriyamVasayamMekule Mataram Padmamalineem ApahSrijanthu SikleedhavasaMe GriheNichadeveemataram Sriyamvasayeme Kule
  

• Ardhraam Puskarineem PushteemSuvarnam Hemamaleem SooryaamHiranmayeem Lakshmeem JatavedomAvahaam ArdhaamYekarineem YeshteemPingalaam Padmamalineem ChandraamHiranmayeem Lakshmeem JatavedomAvahaam TaamAvaha JatavedobhaLaksmeem AnabhaGamineem Yasyam HiranyamPrabhoothamgavo Daasyoswaan VindheyampurushaanAham.
  

• AswadhayiCha Godhayi Dhanadhaayi Mahasane DhanaMeDhadhaThaam Deveem SarvakamAartha Siddhaye Putra PouthraDhanamDaanyam Vikasanam Prajaanam BhavathiMatha AayushmanThanKarothumaam.

The main lines and a sample of how I was taught by my uncle and it was in Malayalam

ഗന്ധധാരം ധുരാധര്ശാം നിത്യപുസ്ടാം കരീഷിനീം ഈസ്വരീം സര്വഭൂത നാം തമ്യതോപത്വേസ്രായം

അസ്വധയിച്ച ഗോധയി ധനധായി മഹാസനെ ധനമെധധതാം ദേവീം സര്വകമാര്‍ത്ത സിദ്ധയെ പുത്ര പൌത്രധനം ധാന്യം വികാസനം പ്രജാനാം ഭവതി മാതാ ആയുഷ്മന്തന്കരോതുമാം

Mahabharata - My Views

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My acquaintance with the Mahabharata started at a young age with my Grand Mother narrating interesting stories to the ever observing little minds of mine and my cousins'. I used to fantasize myself as the main characters coming in those stories with magic surrounding all around me. Yeah, those were the days when I used to admire Krishna and liked to imitate his mischievious acts that are annoying and contrastingly admirable at that age. But I actually followed credulously when DD-1 broadcast these stories in series every Sunday. The five Pandavas, the Kauravas, Krishna - all of them became real and imitable. May be many a kid's imagination was captured at that time by this series. My later days saw a twist in thought with me reading some works by Collins, Wodehouse and Dickens that had real life biographies and kind of things that can happen at present. And of course some commentary work of B.G.Tilak in English about "The Gita". I realised that Gods were made in earth by the admirers and followers. My grandmother's version of a small kid dancing on the hoods of a 10 headed serpent now seemed ridiculous and perverse. Also it may be a premonition to be different from others in family who are all austere believers and followers of age old tradition and dogmas. But then I wanted to know why this epic is so great and revered even after so much bloodshed and war for worldly pleasures and wealth.And one day I happened to read an article that one of my cousins send me online the link of which I provide below. It had small articles about understanding old stories and their relevance in modern times. It was simple to read and gave ideas about why Mahabhrata is still cited as references and why people try to follow it after so long a time.
The Mahabharata teaches all of us an important lesson and this is about circumstances that make a man to take decisions. For instance Arjuna is at first not interested in war with kith and kin for power and wealth but changes mind hearing Krishna's advice. He justifies the war for dharma or virtuousness. The abridged version of the story will indeed give a plain idea of a tit for tat ideology but the broader reading would allow us to get insights into the culture and customs of the people of that times. The gambling by the heros and their suffering in exile and finally when they got their kingdom back they had to lose thier 100 cousins and dear ones. The illustrious and chivalrous Karna who was losing every time and killed treacherously in war and the ever cunning Krishna winning every time. Do this mean that good deeds always loses out in this world? No the Mahabharata serves or tries to explain that only the circumstance is the villain and what one does at one instant of time will turn against him at the other instant. Here lies the subtle clue to why this epic is much celebrated even after centuries. It gives us a cause and effect reasoning for all the things that happen with us and for good things to happen we have to be good ourselves. In this way Mahabharata really denounces the real life heros and tries to interpret that being God and devil lies in one's own thoughts and acts.
Does that mean that I'm an atheist? No I still really do not know the meaning of atheist and I'm an ardent follower of traditions and beliefs so naive and incredible in this century.
http://www.devdutt.com/category/mahabharata