Excerpts from a discourse by our Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji
In the Kshetram of Kumbakonam there is a separate shrine for Sri ChakrathAzhwar. Inside this temple we can see the Lord Suriyanarayanan, the Lord of light who showers his grace upon this world. For whom there is no greater light, this Lord Suriyanarayanan himself stands with folded hands inside the shrine of Sri ChakrathAzhwar. More than the tejas of Lord Suriyanarayana, the chakra in the hands of Perumal is more powerful. This side Sarangapani Aramudhan and on the other side the sannadhi of Sri ChakrathAzhwar. Since the Lord Suriyanarayana himself stands in front of Sri ChakrathAzhwar with folded hands this kshetram goes by the name of "Bhaskara Kshetram". Normally we speak about 2 ways, Uttarayanam and Dakshinayanam. "ayanam" meaning route. Thats why Ramayanam, ayanam meaning route and therefore Ramayanam meaning the route taken by Lord Sri Rama. This does not mean a road route but the path of Dharma taken up by Lord Sri Rama.
Uttarayanam means the direction that the Sun takes North or South for Dakshinayanam. When we say these two we say Krishnapaksham or Shuklapaksham. If we take Rama Krishna avataram we can see a difference. Ramar was born in the daytime and Krishnar was born in the night. At midnight 12am was the avataram of Lord Sri Krishna. Ramar was born in Uttarayana and Krishna was born in Dakshinayana. The word Krishnam meaning black, thats why we talk of Theypirai or Krishnapaksham. Shuklam means bright. Thats why we we talk of Valarpirai we say Shukla paksham. For the child Sri Rama, Sage Vishwamithra takes him to face the three enemies namely Mareechan, Subhahu and tAtakai. Similarly the child Sri Krishna faced the three enemies Trinavarta, Shakata and Poothana. We see the similarities here. Lord Sri Rama tells about his charithram briefly to Soorpanaka in the same manner in the Srimad Bhagavatham the story of muchupanthan is told briefly. These are the similarities between the two avatarams.
In the Srimad Bhagavadgita, the Lord says that the Yogis leave their lives behind during the time of the Uttarayana and attain my world. The reason is the atma of the uttamars takes up the path of light and the atma of those who have sinned take up the path of darkness.
Srimad Bhagavatam (1:9:29, 30):
धर्मं प्रवदतस् तस्य स कालः प्रत्युपस्थितः
यो योगिनश् छन्द-मृत्योर् वाञ्छितस् तूत्तरायणः
तदोपसंहृत्य गिरः सहस्रणीर् विमुक्त-सङ्गं मन आदि-पूरुषे
कृष्णे लसत्-पीत-पटे चतुर्-भुजे पुरः स्थिते'मीलित-दृग् व्यधारयत्
While he was thus discoursing on Dharma, there arrived the time Uttarayana, when the Sun changes its course towards the north – a time which is coveted by Yogis who drop their body according to their pleasure. There upon that man who spoke on different subjects of Dharma with thousands of meanings and who fought on thousands of battle fields and protected thousands of man stopped speaking and being completely free from all bondage with drew his mind from everything else and fixed his wide open eyes upon the original personality of godhead Shri Krishna who stood before him four handed dressed in yellow garments that glittered and shined.
Please check these: Excerpts from a discourse by our Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji
Which is THE BEST DHARMA?
Nama Kirtan is the King of all Dharmas and is not dependent on any other Dharma for its existence
One who Chants the Divine Name should be like a farmer
Worship Narayana. Worship Him through Nãmasankirtanam. If you follow this Dharma you will reap the benefit of having followed all Dharma. This is the best of all Dharma.
Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
