PREFACE

MANGALASASANAS: Blessings of the Acharyas in original Sanskrit

Sri Jagadguru Sankaracharya of Sringeri Sarada Pitha

Sri Kaliyan Vanamamalai Jiyar Swamigal

Sri Jagadguru Sankaracharya of Puri Govardhana Pitha

Sri Tridandi  Srimannarayana Jiyar Swamiji

Sri Pejavara Mathadhisa Sri Viswesatirtha Swamiji

Sri Paramahansa Sri Vamadevaji Maharaj

Sri Jagadguru Sankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Pitha

MANGALASASANAS: Blessings of the Acharyas in English Trnslation

CHAPTER 1: GREATNESS OF FOOD AND THE GIVING OF FOOD

dadasvannan dadasvannan dadasvannanyudhisthira

Annadanamahatmya: the greatness of the giving of food

Annamahatmya: the greatness of food

Karmayoga: the discipline of acting in the world

CHAPTER 2: THE STORY OF KING SVETA

Sage Agastya recounts the story to Srirama

Sri Varaha lays down the vrata of annadana

Annadana is sadavrata

Sharing anna is the discipline of living

CHAPTER 3: YAJNAS OF THE GREAT KINGS: RAMAYANA

The asvamedhayajna of Srirama

The asvamedhayajna of king Dasaratha

Ramarajya

CHAPTER 4: YAJNAS OF THE GREAT KINGS: MAHABHARATA

The rajasuyayajna of Yudhisthira

Leading Yudhisthira to the aSvamedhayajna

Ramarajya of Yudhisthira

The asvamedhayajna of Yudhisthira

CHAPTER 5: YAJNAS OF THE TAPASVINS

Story of the unchavrittibrahmana

Turning dust into gold

The story of the kapotadampati

CHAPTER 6: YAJNAS OF THE GRIHASTHAS

Grihasthasrama: Uma-Saïkara samvada

The five great yajnas of the grihastha

Pancaiva mahayajnah

Annena ha vai jayate yo’sti

Manu teaches the discipline of pancamahayajna

Pancamahayajna begins at marriage

Pitriyajna

Devayajna

Bhutayajna

Manusyayajna

Vighasasi bhavennityam

CHAPTER 7: PROVIDER OF THE UNPROVIDED

King as great grihastha: Apastambadharmasutra

King as great grihastha: Mahabharata

Provider of the unprovided

Protector of varta and krisi

Protector of the times

On the sword’s edge

CHAPTER 8: ANNA: THE FIRST MANIFESTATION OF BRAHMAN

Kevalagho bhavati kevaladi

Annaand brahmavidya: Taittiriyopanisad

Preparing the seeker for the search: Siksavalli

Instruction in brahmavidya: brahmanandavalli

Leading the seeker to darsana: bhriguvalli

Recalling the primacy of anna

Ahamannam

EPILOGUE I: INDIA FOLLOWS THE DISCIPLINE

The tapas of Aputran

The yajna of Harsavardhana

The Chatrams of Thanjavur

Chengalpattu: The polity of sharing

Producing the plenty to share

EPILOGUE II: STRAYING FROM THE DISCIPLINE

The memory abides

The British break the discipline

Scarcity takes the place of plenty

Independent India fails to reverse the decline

Scarcity and callousness have become the norm

The sin must be expiated

Svastivachana

Sources

Transliteration convention