Saturday, June 28, 2008

Temple For Brahma

Stone carving of Saraswathi @Temple of Brahma
Temple of Sarawathi & Savitri @ Pushkar

Temple of Brahma @ Pushkar
A very pertinant question raised by Bhuvani is answered in this page ,in our last posting there has been a mistake to mention that no worship is done for Brahma, it is not done in the indivdual homes as it is for other deities Brahma is considered to be the creator and as he has no role to play in the preservation of the creation, it is Vishnu who has the job to do. If you remeber the following shloka you will know that we always remember Brahma.
गुरुर ब्रह्म गुरुर विष्णु गुरु देवो महेश्वर गुरुर साक्षात् परब्रमम थास्मै श्री गुरुवे नमः
Sacred lake and temples of Brahma & Hill of goddess Saraswati-Savitri
The description of pilgrimage places in the Tirtha-Yatra section of India's great epic, the Mahabharata, suggests a grand tour of the entire country. The pilgrimage begins in Pushkar, sacred to the god Brahma, and continues in a rambling clockwise direction throughout the subcontinent, ending in Prayaga (modern day Allahabad). As indicated by Pushkar's position as the starting point of the grand pilgrimage, the worship of Brahma was considered highly important at the end of the first millennium BC.
The common assumption of there being only one temple to Brahma is untrue. There are at least four major temples to him still in use today. They are at Pushkar in Ajmer, Rajasthan; Dudhai in the state of Madhya Pradesh; Khed Brahma in Kerala; and Kodakkal in the Malabar region of Kerala-Karnataka. Today, other deities have long eclipsed the cult of Brahma. It has been suggested that this waning of importance may be attributed to the fact that the function of Brahma - creating the world - has been completed, while Vishnu (the preserver) and Shiva (the destroyer) still have relevance to the continuing order of the universe.
Mythological literature describes Brahma as having sprung up from the lotus originating in the navel of Vishnu. Brahma then becomes the source of all creation, the seed from which issues all space, time and causation. His consort Saraswati was manifested out of him, and from their union were born all the creatures of the world. He is the inventor of theatrical art, and music and dance were revealed by him. He is sometimes depicted with four heads representing the four Vedas and the four Yugas (great epochs of time), other times as Visvakarma, the divine architect of the universe. Saraswati is the wife of Brahma. Literally her name means 'the flowing one'. In the Rig Veda she represents a river deity and is connected with fertility and purification. She is considered the personification of all knowledge - arts, sciences, crafts and skills. She is the goddess of the creative impulse, the source of music, beauty and eloquence. Artists, writers and other individuals involved in creative endeavors have for millennia come on pilgrimage to Pushkar to request the inspiration of Brahma and Saraswati. According to the theory that shrine myths are often metaphorical expressions of the specific power of a pilgrimage place, the lake, hill and area of Pushkar have a spirit or presence that awakens and stimulates the human capacity of creativity.
There are five principal temples in Pushkar, all of relatively recent construction since the earlier buildings were destroyed by the Mugal emperor Aurangzeb in the late 17th century. Numerous bathing areas, known as ghats, surround the lake and pilgrims immerse themselves in the holy waters for a cleansing of both body and soul. During most of the year Pushkar is a sleepy little town. Each November, however, over 200,000 people arrive with 50,000 cattle for several days of pilgrimage, horse dealing, camel racing and colorful festivities.

Friday, June 27, 2008

Brahma The Creator


Brahma
Brahma is considered the creator of the universe. Before the cosmos existed, Brahma was all alone, self contained and self-content. Eventually, he felt inadequate and longed for company. Brahma split himself and created the goddess Shatarupa. Her many forms captivated Brahma, and he desired to posses her
But that was not to be. Like all material things, Shatarupa would turn into something else every time Brahma got to her. She turned into a cow, a mare, a goose and a doe. Brahma kept pursuing her, taking the form of the corresponding male - a bull, a horse, a gander, a buck. Thus all creatures of the cosmos, from the smallest insect to the largest mammal, came into being.
Brahma sprouted five heads, so that he could watch Shatarupa at all times. To restrain Brahma's lust, Shiva wrenched off one of Brahma's five heads. This helped Brahma come to his senses, and he took Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, as his consort. With her help, he regained control of his mind. For creating the universe, Brahma became known as the lord of progeny. But he is not worshipped because he is responsible for distracting the mind away from the soul and towards the cravings of the flesh.

The Hindu Trinity





The Hindu Trinity
The Hindu Trinity comprises of Brahma, the creator, Vishnu, the preserver and Siva the destroyer. Brahma creates the worlds and the beings. He is the creative intelligence of the manifest worlds. Saraswathi, the goddess of learning is his consort. He is generally shown with four heads standing for the four yugas and the four quarters of the universe. Hamsa, the swan, is his vehicle. He is known by several other names such as Visvakarma, Pitamaha, Lokesa, Nabhija and so on.
Vishnu is the preserver. He is the solar God, the very sun, who brings sunshine into the worlds and lives of every one and assists the survival of every being. Blue in color, he is referred with many names and attributes by his devotees. Some of his popular names include, Mahavishnu, Narayana, Anantasayana, Chakradhari, Srinivasa, Padmanabha, Varadaraja, Panduranga, Venkatesa and so on. Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth is his consort. He rides Garuda, the big bird. The mace (gada) and the fiery disc (chakra) are his weapons with which he destroys evil and protects the weak and the good. He is also credited with many incarnations, the most important among them being 10 in number. He incarnates on earth from time to time to restore order and destroy evil. Nine of his principal incarnations have already taken place, which include the incarnations of Rama, Krishna and the Buddha. The incarnation of Kalki, the tenth and the last one in this cycle of creation, is yet to come.
Lord Siva is the third god of Hindu trinity. He is the destroyer of the worlds. He in fact destroys all that is evil and unwanted in order to enable the divinity to enter the world and replace the ordinary human consciousness characterized by evil passions and animal instincts. Siva is known by many names. His most popular names include, Rudra, Jatadhara, Shankara, Iswara, Maheswara, Pasupathinath, Nilakanteswara, Dakshinamurthy and so on. He dwells among the snow clad Himalayan mountains and rules his world known as Kailas. He is prone to fits of anger and sometimes hurts those who annoy Him. He spends most of his time in deep meditation. He possesses the third eye, the eye of wisdom. Undoubtedly he is one of the most popular and powerful gods of Hinduism and inspires people to indulge in acts of courage, devotion and spiritual wisdom.
The Trident
The trident is the weapon of Siva with which he destroys evils and restores order. The trident stands for the triple qualities of nature, namely, sattva, rajas and tamas. Siva is the master of maya and thereby master of these three qualities with which he controls the worlds.
The trident symbolically represents the fact that Siva is the controller of the worlds and controller of all illusion. The trident also represents the three aspects of time, the past, the present and the future.
Siva is mater of Time, Kal Bhairav, who determines the progress of the worlds according to his will. The trident represents the three paths to self-realization, namely the path of knowledge, the path of action and the path of devotion.
With these three paths, Siva transforms his devotees and destroys the evil in them. The trident stands for the three primary evils which need to destroyed in order to make progress towards the divine. They are the evil of anger, the evil of lust and the evil of pride



Thursday, June 26, 2008

About Coconut and Plantain

Coconut Sapling

Cocunut Tree
Plantain plant with flower


PlantainPlant with old shoot cut off

Lunch on Plantain leaf
This is just to make you know more about the two importanat items in the religious functions

Plantain leaves
Lunch from Karnataka served on a plantain leaf. Traditionally plantain leaves are used like plates in several dishes, such as Venezuelan Hallacas, while serving south Indian Thali or during sadya. A traditional south Indian meal is served on a plantain leaf with the position of the different food items on the leaf having a significant importance. They also have a religious significance in many Hindu rituals. They add a subtle but essential aroma to the dish. The leaves are fairly widely available in grocery stores or open air markets in Venezuela and can exceed two meters in length. They are also used to stimulate appetite as a fragrant smell is given off when hot food is placed on top of the leaf. In Nicaragua they wrap their Nacatamales and also used for their Vigoron, Vaho and other dishes. In Peru they are often use to wrap the famous Tamale (Tamales). In Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia, these are usually used to wrap tamales before and while cooking, and they can be used to wrap any kind of seasoned meat while cooking to keep the flavor in. In the Dominican Republic, the plantain is the country's main food source and is used just as much if not, more than rice. Mangu and Sancocho are two signature dishes that revolve around the plantain.
Plantain leaves are similar to banana leaves but are larger and stronger, therefore reducing waste. They are lightly smoked over an open fire and this adds to their toughness, their storage properties and the flavour they give. With plantain leaves there is a lot less disposal (pieces too small to use) than with banana leaves, which makes them a better choice.
Plantain shoot
The plantain will only fruit once. After harvesting the fruit, the plantain plant can be cut and the layers peeled (like an onion) to get a cylinder shaped soft shoot. This can be chopped and first steamed, then fried with masala powder, to make an excellent dish.
Coconut
Coconut In Traditional MedicinePeople from many diverse cultures, languages, religions, and races scattered around the globe have revered the coconut as a valuable source of both food and medicine. Wherever the coconut palm grows the people have learned of its importance as a effective medicine. For thousands of years coconut products have held a respected and valuable place in local folk medicine.In traditional medicine around the world coconut is used to treat a wide variety of health problems including the following: abscesses, asthma, baldness, bronchitis, bruises, burns, colds, constipation, cough, dropsy, dysentery, earache, fever, flu, gingivitis, gonorrhea, irregular or painful menstruation, jaundice, kidney stones, lice, malnutrition, nausea, rash, scabies, scurvy, skin infections, sore throat, swelling, syphilis, toothache, tuberculosis, tumors, typhoid, ulcers, upset stomach, weakness, and wounds.
Nearly all parts of the coconut palm are useful, and the palms have a comparatively high yield, up to 75 fruits per year; it therefore has significant economic value. The name for the coconut palm in Sanskrit is kalpa vriksha, which translates as "the tree which provides all the necessities of life". In Malay, the coconut is known as pokok seribu guna, "the tree of a thousand uses". In the Philippines, the coconut is commonly given the title "Tree of Life its theorised that if you were to become stranded on a desert island populated by palm trees, you could survive purely on the tree and coconut alone, as the coconut provides all of the required natural properties for survival.





Monday, June 23, 2008

NEVER GIVE UP


Daily Pooja


Daily Pooja
Do the Puja anyway you can,with devotion and love for Lord in your heart. God out of His mercy will overlook all the shortcomings of men if they pursue the path of devotion with fervour. At the end of worship, daily or occasional, a prayer is offered to God not to mind the defects while chanting the mantras or adopting the procedures or for forgetting to do some duties out of ignorance. The Almighty is compassionate enough to ignore such errors. Thus, mercy being His chief trait, a devotee need not be concerned with minor defects if his endeavour is absolutely sincere but the enjoined duties should not be abandoned.
All pujaas are like our birthday parties :-
· dhaayna : we first comtemplate whom to invite
· aahvaahana: we telephone and invite
· aasana : when they arrive give them place to sit down
· arghyaM : offer water to wash hands
· paadyam : offer water to wash feet
· aachamanam : offer some water(or paanakam) to drink
· gudopahaara : some thing to eat - light snacks
· snaanam : take him to bath (you chant shlokas telling the mahimaa of the god/goddess - suuktaas
· panchamrita : 5 nectars are selected to give bath; as well as waters of various tiirthas and fruit water (phalodaka), water of gold or jewels (hiraNyodaka, ratnodaka)
· gandha : sandle paste for the body
· vastrayugmam : two pieces of clothe to wear
· yajnopaveeta : sacred thread
· akshata : unbroken decorated rice offered.
· parimala dravya : scents
· aabharaNa : ornaments
· pushpani : flowers
· maala : garland
· pratiShThaapana: make him/her sit on the aasana;
now attend to him further
· anga puujaa : each organ is being thought of and flowers offered to them
· pushpa puujaa : on each of his/her various names, a veriety of flowers are offered
· patra puujaa : likewise with leaves of different plants.
· aShTottara puujaa : 108 names which are very special to the deity are uttered
· If possible, sahasranaama puuja : 1008 names of the deity
All these offer you the increased concentration and deeper going into the ONE deity you are worshipping NOW
· dhuupa : agarbatti
· diipa : light
· naivedya : offer 5 to 21 variety of preparations
· hastaprakshalana : wash hands
· karodvarthana : apply water and gandha to hands
· paniiya : drinking water
· phalam or mahaaphalam : fruits (which symbolize all fruits of our actions
· taambuula : paan for digestion
· mangala aarati : wishing well and show aarati- asking for light of knowledge
· pradakshiNaa : for removal of all sins of aeons
· namaskaaram : total surrender
· praarthana : prayers (here you say why you called and why you did the puuja)
· kshamaapana : apoalogies for mistakes
· braahmaNa suvaasini : represent living deities
· visarjana puuja : leaving them
· arghya pradaanam : offering arghya by those who fasted and those who came late or those like ladies of the house who could not participate in the puujas because of other works, can now get full merit by offering arghya which is equivalent to whole puuja.
· Krishnarpanam : Offer all the pujas and their fruits back to the Lord.
· All shlokas basically say what the subtitle means and with lot of various stuti or praise.The shlokas also treat the deity as all powerful, and often narrate some portion of his/or her story or describe physical or other attributes.
·
Two Minute Daily Puja
Each time when you say 'Samarpayami' (literally: I am offering), please offer two akataas to the LORD with love and devotion.
Akshatha is uncooked rice, if possible colored with kumkum , saffron powder, termaric and a little bit of water. Can be prepared well advance for a week and kept near the ALTAR
1
Dhyaanam Samarpayami
Think or meditate on the LORD
2
Aawaahanam Samarpayami
Offering invitation the LORD
3
Aasanam Samarpayami
Offer a seat to the LORD
4
Paadyam Samarpayami
offer water to wash the feet
5
Arghyam Samarpayami
offer water to wash the hands
6
Aachamaneeyam Samarpayami
offer water to drink
7
Snaanam Samarpayami
Give bath to the LORD
8
Maha Abhishekam Samarpayami
main head bath
9
Pratishtaapayaami
make Him/Her seated
10
Vasthram Samarpayami
Offer clothes to the LORD
11
Yajnopaveetham Samarpayami
Offer the Holy Thread to the LORD
12
Gandham Samarpayami
offer sandlewood paste/powder
13
Akshatham Samarpayami
Offer Akshatha to the LORD
14
Pushpam Samarpayami
Offer flowers to the LORD
15
Ashthothtra Poojam Samarpayami
Offer the Holy 108 names of the LORD
16
Dhoopam Aaghraapayaami
offer agarbatti
17
Deepam Darshayaami
offer light
18
Neivedyam Samarpayami
Offer food to the LORD
19
Phalam Samarpayami
Offer Fruits the LORD
20
Taamboolam Samarpayami
offer beetle nut and leaves
21
Dakshinam Samarpayami
Offer money to the LORD
22
Maha Nirajanam Samarpayami
the main aarati
23
Pradakshinam Samarpayami
taking clockwise rounds in front of the lord
24
Namaskaram Samarpayami
prostrations offer them
25
Mantra Pushpam Samarpayami
both incantations and flowers
26
Praarthanaam Samarpayami
offering prayers; List your requests
27
Xamaapanam Samarpayami
offering apologies to lord for any mistakes
"the divine that resides in my heart bows to the same divine who resides in your heart"
om shanti,shanti shanti ~ may there be peace, peace & perfect peace always

Friday, June 20, 2008

Shri Durga Devi

दुर्गा देवी

Shri Durga Devi
All ways of knowledge are your aspects, O Devi; so are all women in the world, endowed with various attributes. By you alone, O Mother, this world is filled - Chandi, II, 6
Durga's story appears primarily in the Skanda Purana, in Chandi, itself a part of the Markandeya Purana, but very similar stories are told in the Brahmanda Purana and also in the famous epic, the Mahabharata. She also appears elsewhere in tantrik texts, including as Mahishamardini (killer of the demon Mahisha) in the Kulachudamani Tantra. The gods lost their empire to two great antigods (asuras), Shumbha and Nishumbha, and prayed to the Goddess for help.
Needless to say, the ever compassionate Devi took on these proud antigods and vanquished them utterly. To this end, she assembled an entire army of Shaktis similar to her and when things became very tough, projected Kalika out of her third eye. She is called Durga because she slayed the son of the arch-demon Durga, son of Ruru.
As the Matrikabheda Tantra points out, the names of the goddess are really adjectives, and she is one, under these different descriptions. For example, the goddess in Chandi takes the forms of Kali, Sarasvati and Vaishnavi, representing the three gunas, to subdue the host of demons.
As Lalita, she subdued the demonic Bhandasura at the request of the gods, who then built the Shri Yantra to celebrate her greatness.
The metaphor is that she is cruel to the demonic; that is to say to the proud ego of man.
The hymn to Durga in the Mahabharata contains the verses (shlokas):
"I salute Thee, leader of Yogis, one with the Brahman,Dweller in the Mandara forest.Virgin, Kali, spouse of Kapala, of tawny hue.Salutation to Thee, Bhadrakali.Reverence to Thee, Mahakali,Chandi, Fearless one. Salutation to Thee,Saviour imbued with all good fortune."
(Arthur Avalon's translation in Hymns to the Goddess.)
So, too, in the Karpuradistotra, a famous 22 verse hymn to Dakshina Kalika, we find the commentator describing the animal sacrifice of cats, camels, sheep, buffaloes, goats and men as symbolising six avices.
न मन्त्रं नो यन्त्रं तदपि च न जाने स्तुतिमहो न चाव्हानाम ध्यानं तदपि च न जाने स्तुतिकथाः इन जाने मुद्रास्ते तदपि च न जाने विलपनं परम जाने मतास्त्वदानुसरानाम क्लेशाहरानाम
Meaning: O Maa Durga! I don't know any prayer or any magical summons to invoke you. Neither I know any mantra and have no idea how to meditate on you. I don't know your story or glory as well. I neither know your various postures nor am I given to crying in distress. The only thing I know is that seeking shelter under your protection and following your command will definitely end all sufferings.
विधेराग्यानें द्रविनाविर्हेनालासताया विधेयाशाक्यत्वत्त्व चरणयोर्या च्युतिर्भुत इ तदेतात क्षन्ताव्यम जननी सकलोद्धारिणी शिव कुपुत्रो जायेत क्वचिदपि कुमाता न भवति
Meaning: O Durga, assure salvation to all troubled, I don't know how to worship you. I don't have resources or temperament since I am nasty by nature. I don't have special knowledge to conduct your worship as well. In rendering service to you if, I have made any mistakes or errors, forgive me Mother because there could be a bad son but never a bad mother.
प्रिथिव्यम पुत्रास्ते जननी वहावः सन्ति सरलः परम तेषाम मध्ये विरालातारालोअहम तवा सुतः इमादी योयाम त्यागः समुचितामिदम नो तय शिव कुपुत्रो क्वचिदपि कुमाता न भवति
Meaning: O Maa Durga, this earth has many of your naïve sons, but I am the most fickle among them. There would be hardly any one like me. Yet, O Shive! Rejecting me like this is not proper in this world, as there could be a bad son but never a bad mother.
जगान्मतार्मातास्तावा चरणसेवा न रचित न व दुत्तम देवी द्रविनामापी भूयास्तावा माया इतथापी त्वं स्नेहं मई निरुपम यात्प्रकुरुशे कुपुत्रो जायेत क्वचिदपि कुमाता न भवति
Meaning: O Mother of the World! I have never rendered any service to you. I never offered money to you. Yet, you bless me always for the reason that in this world there could be a bad son but never a bad mother.
परित्त्याकता देवा विविधाविधिसेवा कुलाताया माया पन्चाशीतेराधिकामाप्नीते तू वयासी ईदानी चेन्मतास्तावा यदि कृपा नपी भवता निरालम्बो लम्बोदर जननी कम यमी शरणम
Meaning: O Parvati, mother of Lord Ganesha, I had been busy restlessly. But now, I have stopped worshipping other gods as I cannot worship them ritually. Therefore, I don't even expect any help from them. In such a condition I am absolutely helpless. From whom I seek shelter? I have no hope from any other god except you.
श्वपाको जल्पको भवति मधुपको मजीरा निरातानको रंको विहरति चिरं कोतिकनाकैह तवापर्ने करने विशति मंवारने फलामिदम जनः को जानीते जननी जपनीयम जप्विध्हाऊ
Meaning: O Maa Aparna! One word of your holy prayer that falls in the ear of a foolish rascal is sufficient to make him utter sweet speech like an experienced scholar. With your blessing, a pauper then becomes rich owning millions of gold coins and enjoying life with all its joys till ripe old age. When listening to one word can work such wonders, who can presume the reward obtained by those, who continuously chant your name with full custom of worship.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Shri Lakshmi

श्री
Lakshmi
"सर्वज्ञाय सर्ववार्दय सर्वदुश्त्भाय्द्क्रीसर्वदुखाहरय देवी महालक्ष्मी नमोस्तुते"
Meaning: O Maa Lakshmi, you know everything, you grant favors to all, you are a terror to the evil and your art removes the misery of all. O propitious goddess, I surrender to you.
"सिद्धि बुद्धिप्रदय देवी भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदयीनी मंत्रमुर्तय सदा देवी महालक्ष्मी नमोस्तुते"
: meaningO divine goddess, you are the provider of success and intelligence. You are the benefactor of both worldly pleasure and freedom. The magical sound symbols-the Mantras, verily comprise their form with your grace. Propitious Mother, I surrender to you always.
"आधान्तार्हितय देवी आध्शक्ति महेश्वरियोगाजय योगसम्भूते महालक्ष्मी नमोस्तुते"
Meaning: O Ultimate Mother, your art is without beginning and end. Your art is the primal power. Your art comes out of Yogic practice and your art is evident through Yoga. Promising Mother, I surrender to you.
Goddess Lakshmi, also known as Shri, is personified not only as the goddess of fortune and wealth but also as an embodiment of loveliness, grace and charm. She is worshipped as a goddess who grants both worldly prosperity as well as liberation from the cycle of life and death.
Lore has it that Lakshmi arose out of the sea of milk, the primordial cosmic ocean, bearing a red lotus in her hand. Each member of the divine triad- Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva (creator, preserver and destroyer respectively)- wanted to have her for himself. Shiva’s claim was refused for he had already claimed the Moon, Brahma had Saraswati, so Vishnu claimed her and she was born and reborn as his consort during all of his ten incarnations.
Though retained by Vishnu as his consort, Lakshmi remained an avid devotee of Lord Shiva. An interesting legend surrounds her devotion to this god:
Every day Lakshmi had a thousand flowers plucked by her handmaidens and she offered them to the idol of Shiva in the evening. One day, counting the flowers as she offered them, she found that there were two less than a thousand. It was too late to pluck any more for evening had come and the lotuses had closed their petals for the night.
The most striking feature of the iconography of Lakshmi is her persistent association with the lotus. The meaning of the lotus in relation to Shri-Lakshmi refers to purity and spiritual power. Rooted in the mud but blossoming above the water, completely uncontaminated by the mud, the lotus represents spiritual perfection and authority. Furthermore, the lotus seat is a common motif in Hindu and Buddhist iconography. The gods and goddesses, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, typically sit or stand upon a lotus, which suggests their spiritual authority. To be seated upon or to be otherwise associated with the lotus suggests that the being in question: God, Buddha, or human being-has transcended the limitations of the finite world (the mud of existence, as it were) and floats freely in a sphere of purity and spirituality. Shri-Lakshmi thus suggests more than the fertilizing powers of moist soil and the mysterious powers of growth. She suggests a perfection or state of refinement that transcends the material world. She is associated not only with the royal authority but with also spiritual authority, and she combines royal and priestly powers in her presence. The lotus, and the goddess Lakshmi by association, represents the fully developed blossming of organic life.Her palm is always extended to bless people. She is adored by Lord Ganesha.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Spiritual Practice

पुराधासमह का मुख्यम मम विद्धि पर्थ ब्राहास्पतिम !
सेनानिनाम स्कन्दः,सरसम असमी सागरः !! 24th Sloka 10th chp.
Oh Arjuna ! Know me to be Brahaspati,foremost amongst the priests: Iam the Skanda among commanders and Iam the ocean among the reservoirs.
महारिशिनाम भ्र्गुरहम,गिरम अस्म्येकम अक्सरम !
यज्नानाम जपयाज्नो असमी,स्थावारानाम हिमालायाह !25thsloka 10th chp.
Iam Bhrgu among great sages. Among the words Iam (the word OM consisting of )one syllable;Iam the japayajna among the yajnas;(Iam)the Himalayas among the mountains.
The above slokas are well explained here in this lecture which is detailed below.
Spiritual practice
By Sri Srinivasa Chaitnya
Coutesy The Hindu
The lineage of those who follow the Vedic tradition is traced to seers (Rishis). There is significance in remembering the Rishis and reciting their names during the performance of rituals. The Rishis were Self-realised mystics who intuited the Vedic mantras and hence invoking their grace helps spiritually. The famous Upanishad statement, “You are a child of immortality,” is an inspiring reminder to every spiritual seeker to transcend his mortality.
Lord Krishna while expounding His divine glory to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita said that He was Bhrigu among the great seers. Krishna said: “Among the great seers, I am Bhrigu; among words, I am the sacred syllable Om; among offerings, I am the offering of Japa (silent repetition of sacred formulas); and among the immovable objects, I am the Himalaya.” What is special about this seer? Bhrigu (meaning the crackling sound of fire) according to Puranic tradition is the son of the creator, Brahma. He emanated from the sacrificial fire when Brahma performed a sacrifice to Varuna. He is believed to have kicked Lord Vishnu on His chest, the mark of which the Lord still bears on His chest as Srivatsa because of Bhrigu’s devotion and penance.
The importance of Pranava “Om” is well known for it is the beginning of all spiritual practices. It is revered as the Mantra that liberates man because it promotes detachment from the world and hence very important for monks. For householders the Pranava is combined with a divine name for Japa and chanting because they still have worldly desires. Om is verily God in sound form and is the medium that connects the individual soul with God. Among offerings Krishna said He was Japa because it is the subtler way of performing a sacrifice. Anyone can do it and it is a time-tested method for deriving both worldly and spiritual benefits. When performed regularly Japa enables the mind to become one-pointed.
Devotion is worship of a deity, and in Japa the Mantra is repeated silently. Thus there is a transition from the physical to the mental level and ultimately the mind merges into the consciousness.

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam On Hinduism



Dr APJ Abdul Kalam's Address after receiving
the first copy of Encyclopedia on Hinduism
I am inspired to participate in the launch of Encyclopedia on Hinduism
at Ramakrishna Math, Bangalore. My Pranams to Swamijis and
greetings to all the distinguished guests.
Evolution of three volumes of "A concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism"
is indeed a remarkable lifelong contribution by Swami Harshanandaji. It
symbolizes the thought that the past meets the present and creates the
future through the Encyclopedia.
Evolution of Hinduism is said to be more than 7000 years ago and four
Vedas have continuously enriched the religion in all aspects of human
life: philosophy, religion, ethics, culture, arts, sciences and literature. I
am sure, the encyclopedia will become authentic and researched
reference material to the scholars, learners and practitioners alike
which can further enhance the understanding of Hinduism for enriching
the society.
God: personification of justice, love and mercy
I was reading in the first volume of encyclopedia under the caption
"God", where the author says "the Hindu's scriptures are eloquent
while describing the qualities of God. He is all knowing and all
powerful. He is the very personification of justice, love and beauty.
In fact, He is the personification of all the blessed qualities that man
can ever conceive of. He is ever ready to shower His grace, mercy
and blessings on His creation. Really speaking, the very purpose of His
creating this world is to shower His blessings on the creatures, to lead
them gradually from less perfect states to more perfect ones. He is
easily pleased by the prayers and supplication of His devotees.
However, His response to these prayers is guided by the principle, that
it should not be in conflict with cosmic law concerning the general welfare
of the world and the law of Karma concerning the welfare of the particular
individual". The way Swamiji has personified God, is unique. I remember
in my everyday Namaz, I start with Allah, the most benevolent, the most
merciful and the most glorious.
Dharma
When I looked at the definition of Hinduism, I found that it is Dharma
which upholds this created universe, supports it and sustains it, without
which the universe will just fall apart. For each phase of life, Dharma
prescribes different types of action. When I think about Dharma, I am
reminded of a divine hymn on righteousness.
Righteousness
"Where there is righteousness in the heart
There is beauty in the character.
When there is beauty in the character,
There is harmony in the home.
When there is harmony in the home.
There is order in the nation.
When there is order in the nation,
There is peace in the world."
It is a beautiful connectivity between heart, character, nation and the
world. In a society we have to build righteousness among all its
constituents. For the society as a whole to be righteous we need
creation of righteousness in family, righteousness in education,
righteousness in service, righteousness in career, righteousness in
business & industry,righteousn ess in civil administration, righteousness
in politics, righteousness in government, righteousness in law and order,
righteousness in justice. In this context, I would like to narrate my
experience of being in the divine environment in the company of a joint
family in Meerut radiating happiness and smiles.
In the service of God
In Meerut, I have come to know about a functional joint family system
model called Grihastha Ashram having over 60 to 70 members. This
system is working on three important principles.
(a) Treating everyone as a manifestation of God.
(b) Implicit faith in the mercy of God.
(c) Steadfast dependence on the chanting of his name.
Since I had studied so much of this Meerut spiritual family, I visited the
family during my recent trip to Meerut. I saw the family consisting of
grand-parents to grand-children and extended family had come from
many parts of Meerut starting from young and experienced. All of them
explained, how their life got transformed after coming into contact with
his family. I was observing how they had achieved this transformation.
When I observed during their Bhajan, I found that they all enjoyed every
verse and were bubbling with enthusiasm. In short during the prayer
period the whole family was in a new state of cheerfulness. When I
interacted with the members, there was a revelation;whatever they do,
they did for the God. Their work is highly interlinked with divinity. For
example, gardener feels, he is gardening to get the flowers for
worshipping of the God.The decorator of the divine place is doing the
mission of beautifying the divine place.
The Keertan group of the family, composed the vocal music and used
the musical instruments to generate appropriate tunes to suit the divine
environment. The divine rhythm emanates because they are singing the
glories of God with passion. For the family head, all the family members
and who assembled there, were all image of the God. Regarding their
profession, each member whether undergoing education or a career,
everyone felt that the divine family environment had enhanced their
performance capacity in every activity and made them happy and
contented.
This type of divine environment of joint family system definitely may be
existing in many places in the country in many religious environments.
Definitely harmony in the homes will bring order in the nation and
thereby peace in the world.
Dear Friends, I have a special connectivity with Ramakrishna Mission. I
have visited number of Ramakrishna Mission Institutions like spiritual
centers, schools, hospitals,orphanage s and I have also participated
number of times in the Youth Day celebrations in different parts of the
country on Swami Vivekananda birthday.
Ramakrishna Mission is also famous for bringing out multi-religious
research publications. I was always inspired by the spirituals statements
of Sri Ramakrishnaji and Swami Vivekananda.
Sri Ramakrishnaji says
There are pearls in the deep sea, but one must hazard all to find them.
If diving once does not bring you pearls, you need not therefore
conclude that the sea is without them. Dive again and again. You are
sure to be rewarded in the end. So is it with the finding of the Lord in
this world. If your first attempt proves fruitless, do not lose heart.
Persevere in your efforts. You are sure to realize Him at last.
What a beautiful message for humanity to be perseverant in their tasks.
Swami Vivekanada's message is unique and the world needs it. When
he says
"My name should not be made prominent. It is my ideas that I want to
be realized".
Ramakrishna Mission centers in the country and the abroad are really
radiating these messages.
As I am in this serene environment, let me recite my humble peace prayer.
Conclusion
MY PRAYER FOR PEACE
"Oh Almighty, create thoughts and actions
in the minds of the people of my nation
so that they live united.
Oh Almighty, bless my people
a path of life with righteousness
as righteousness gives the strength of character.
Help all religious leaders of my country to
give strength to the people to combat the divisive forces.
Guide my people to develop an attitude to appreciate different
ideologies and transform enmity among individuals,
organizations and nations, into friendliness and harmony.
Oh almighty, terrorism is a curse to the humanity
And the people who remove innocent lives indeed are insane
Let the pain of the people transform the cruel minds.
Oh God, bless my people to work with perseverance to
transform the country into a peaceful and prosperous nation."
With these words, I am very happy to receive the first copy of the
Encyclopedia of Hinduism by Swami Harshanandaji. My best wishes
to Ramakrishna Mission for success in the mission of promoting unity
of minds through spirituality.
May God Bless you.
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam,

You Can see a Photograph of Seenu Chittappa and Bhama Chitti @ Dr.Abdul Kalam's House at Rameswaram during our visit there in Febrary2008 with Dr.Kalam's elder brother










Saturday, June 7, 2008

Mantra Pushpam

Mantra Pushpam
( The flower of Vedic Chants)
Translation
By P.R.Ramachander
This great mantra is taken from Taithreeya Aranyakam of Yajur Veda. It is normally sung in a chorus by all the priests together after performing any Pooja (worship) or Yagna. It tells in short that water is the basis of this universe. The reason why it is repeated in all functions is not known to me. What I have attempted is a simple translation of this great chant. People interested to know more of the deeper meaning and implications are requested to refer to the archives of http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives. Here Sri Sadagopan has given a scholarly commentary broken in five parts or to the Wikipedia article (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantra_pushpam).
Yopam puspam veda Puspavan prajavan pasuvan bhavati
Candramava Apam puspamPuspavan, Prajavan pasuman bhavatiYa Evam Veda
Yopa mayatanam VedaAyatanam bhavati.
He who understands the flowers of water,
He becomes the possessor of flowers, children and cattle.
Moon is the flower of the water,
He who understands this fact,
He becomes the possessor of flowers, children and cattle.
He who knows the source of water,
Becomes established in himself,
Agnirva Apamayatanam Ayatanavan BhavatiYo agnerayatanam Veda Ayatanavan bhavatiApovagner ayatanamAyatanavan bhavatiYa Evam Veda
Yopa mayatanam Veda Ayatanavan bhavati
Fire is the source of water,
He who knows this,
Becomes established in himself,
Water is the source of fire,
He who knows this,
Becomes established in himself.
He who knows the source of water,
Becomes established in himself,
Vayurva Apamaya tanam Ayatanavan bhavati.Yova Yorayatanam Veda Ayatanavan bhavatiApovai va yorayatanam Ayatanavan bhavati.Ya Evam veda
Yopamayatanam VedaAyatanavan Bhavati
Air is the source of water,
He who knows this,
Becomes established in himself,
Water is the source of air,
He who knows this,
Becomes established in himself.He who knows the source of water,
Becomes established in himself,
Asowvai tapanna pamayatanam Ayatanavan bhavatiYo musya tapata Ayatanan Veda Ayatanavan bhavati Apova Amusyatapata Ayatanam Ayatanavan bhavati Ya Evam Veda
Yopa mayatanam Veda Ayatanavan bhavati
Scorching sun is the source of water,
He who knows this,
Becomes established in himself,
Water is the source of scorching sun,
He who knows this,
Becomes established in himself.
He who knows the source of water,
Becomes established in himself,
Candrama Vama pamayatnam Ayatanavan bhavati.Yascandra masa Ayatanam VedaAyatanavan bhavati Apovai Candra masa AyatanamAyatanavan bhavati Ya Evam Veda
Yo pamayatanam veda Ayatanavan bhavati
Moon is the source of water,
He who knows this,
Becomes established in himself,
Water is the source of moon,
He who knows this,
Becomes established in himself.
He who knows the source of water,
Becomes established in himself,Nakshtrani va Apamayatanam Ayatanavan bhavati Yo Nakshtrana mayatanam Veda Ayatanavan bhavati Apovai Nakshtrana mayatanam Ayatanavan bhavati Ye evam Veda
Yopamaya tanam Veda Ayatanavan bhavati
Stars are the source of water,
He who knows this,
Becomes established in himself,
Water is the source of stars,
He who knows this,
Becomes established in himself.
He who knows the source of water,
Becomes established in himself,
Parjanyova apamayatanam Ayatanavan bhavati Yah parjanyasya syayatinam Veda Ayatanavan bhavati Apovai parjanya Syayatanam Ayatanavan bhavati Ye Evam veda
Yopa maya tanam Veda Ayatanavan bhavati
Clouds are the source of water,
He who knows this,
Becomes established in himself,
Water is the source of clouds,
He who knows this,
Becomes established in himself.He who knows the source of water,
Becomes established in himself,
Samvastaro Va Apamayatanam Ayatavan bhavati Yassavatsa rasyaya tanam Veda Ayatavan bhavati.Apovai samvasara ayatanamAyatanavan bhavatiYa Evam veda
Yopsu Navam pratistitam vedaPratyeva tistati
Rainy season is the source of water,
He who knows this,
Becomes established in himself,
Water is the source of rainy season,
He who knows this,
Becomes established in himself.
He who knows that there is a raft is available,
Becomes established in that raft.
{This stanza is included in some versions of mantra Pushpam
Om thad Brahma, Om it is Brahma
Om Thad Vayu. Om it is air
Om Thad Athma Om it is the soul
Om Thad Sathyam Om it is the truth
Om That Sarvam Om it is everything
Om That puror nama Om salutations to that Purusha
Anthascharathi bhootheshu Guhyam Viswa Murthishu
That which is inside all beings secretly is that Universal God
Thvam Yajna You are the fire sacrifice,
Thwam vashatkara You are the the personification of Vedic sacrifice
Thwam Indra You are the Indra
Thvam vayu You are the air
Thvam Rudra You are the Rudra
Vishnus thvam You are the Vishnu
Brahmasthvam You are the Brahma
Thvam prajaipathi You are the Lord of all beings
Om Thadhapa apo jyothi raso amrutham brahma bhur bhuvasuvarom
Om water is light, the essence is the nectar and the concept of Brahma is in all the seven worlds.}
Rajadhi rajaya Prasahya SahineNamo Vayam Vai Sravanaya KurmaheSamekaman Kama Kamaya mahyamKamesvaro Vai Sravano dadatu Kuberaya Vai SravanayaMaha rajaya Namah.
King of kings , we praise thee,
Who is the giver of all victories,
Who is the fulfiller of all desires,
Please bless me with wealth,
To fulfill all our desires,
Oh, Kubhera*, we praise thee,
Salutations to the king of kings.
When ever there is puja or any other religious function the above mantra is recited by family members and the priest on conclusion of the pooja and offer flower to the God

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Greatness Of Epic

Greatness of the epic By Sri Damodara Dikshitar

Courtesy The Hindu

Since the Supreme Being is not to be known by rational or intellectual reasoning, faith and disbelief in spiritual matters becomes a matter of individual choice. But it is also believed that faith inheres in one who is a recipient of God’s grace and when one is enriched with experience of God, he becomes a true devotee. In Ramayana, the Supreme Being is to be known through the Vedas, and that the abstract nature of the Vedas dissuades many from attempting to learn it. Fortunately when the Supreme Being incarnated as Lord Rama, the Vedas also manifested as the Ramayana, enabling even the common man to gain spiritual insight. The Ramayana is described as a river with its source in the mountain of Valmiki, which reaches the ocean of Rama and is equal to Ganga in conferring sanctity.
The Sundara Kanda is unique for its revelation of different facets of devotion. Both Sita and Hanuman are seen as great devotees of the Lord who get an opportunity to exchange personal eulogies/descriptions of Lord Rama. Hanuman is as excellent a listener as he is a speaker. Before and after establishing his identity to Sita, Hanuman displays tremendous caution in the way he approaches her lest he fails to win her confidence. After handing over the ring of Lord Rama, he considers it a great privilege to listen to Lord Rama’s greatness from Sita who knows Lord Rama in the most intimate manner. Sita too, for her part, listened with rapt attention when Hanuman described Lord Rama.
The love of divine couple shines in its purest form in separation as Sita is happy to realise that Lord Rama constantly thinks of her; but she is also pained by the thought that Lord Rama does not eat or sleep, unable to bear the separation. She discloses to Hanuman very personal and intimate information about the Kakasura episode and gives Hanuman her Choodamani to be given to Lord Rama. Sita praises Hanuman for his successful entry to Lanka after crossing the mighty ocean. He reassures Sita’s doubts and promises that very soon Lord Rama would ensure that she is no longer a captive.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Hanuman Mantra



Recitation of the Prayer to Hanuman or the Hanuman Mantra brings great benefit and protection, and can also relieve the negative karmas of difficult planets in a birth chart.
MANOJAVAM MAARUTATULYAVEGAM
JITENDRIYAM
BUDDHIMATAAM VARISTHAM,
VATAATMAJAMVAANARAYOOTHMUKHYAM
SRIRAMDOOTAM SARANAMPRAPADHYE.
II Meaning of Hanuman mantra II
I surrender to Hanuman, the messenger of Lord Rama, whose speed is as swift as the mind and as swift as the wind.Who has controlled his sense organs and is the most intellegent among the intelligent ones; who is the son of vayu and the chief of the monket tribe.