Hanuman As Seen

Sai Ram All,
This is to be Seen to be Believed !!

This happened in Kalika Mata temple in Ratlam, M.P., last month.

Pictures tell the true story. The Saint was telling the story of Ramayana and "Hanumanji" appeared in the form of langur !! The langur first went and sat near the singers and listened to the kirtan, held the mic of the mahantji, got blessed by him, then "blessed" the saints and then sat in front of Shri Ramji's photo and took some of the flowers (note similar position to Shri Hanumanji in the framed picture) and left quietly.
Bolo Siyavar Ramchandra ki Jai. Pavanasuta Hanuman ki Jai.

Significance Of Tulasi

By Kamala Murthy
The leaves of the tulsi plant are important in worship. They are superior even to fragrant flowers. Flowers are fragrant only when they bloom. But every part of the tulsi plant has fragrance. Its seeds, it leaves, its stem, its roots- all have fragrance. Even the soil in which it is planted acquires the fragrant smell of the plant. All we need to do is to use a single tulsi leaf in worship. Nothing will please Lord Narayana more. Using tulsi leaves in worship will bring prosperity.

One day, Tulsi went to the Lord with a complaint. She had a grievance, she said. Like Goddess Mahalakshmi, Tulsi too came from the milky ocean. But while Lakshmi adorned His chest, which was Her permanent abode, what honour had she (Tulsi) been given? Tulsi had come from the scattered drops of nectar. Why was it that she was not honoured, while Lakshmi was, Tulsi wondered.

The Lord said that Lakshmi had done penance and had thus reached Him. Lakshmi, however, was going to appear on the Earth, as the daughter of Sage Markandeya. Tulsi should go to the Earth too, and there spread herself as a bush, that would shelter Lakshmi, who would appear under the bush. Lakshmi would be brought up by Sage Markandeya. The Lord would come down too, and would marry Lakshmi later on.

As per the Lord's instructions, Tulsi appeared on the bank of the Cauvery river. She appeared in such profusion, that the whole place resembled a tulsi forest. So dense was the vegetation. Sage Markandeya, who was on a pilgrimage, reached the place where Tulsi had taken root. He bathed in the river, and began to meditate. In his mind's eye, the sage could see the Lord. And as long as the image of the Lord filled the sage's mind, he was oblivious to everything else around him. He did not even notice the child who was under the tulsi bush.

This child was none other than Goddess Mahalakshmi. In order that the sage should open his eyes and see Her, the Lord caused His image to disappear from the sage's mind. Only then did the sage open his eyes, and upon seeing the child, he picked her up, brought her up, and later got Her married to the Lord.

Practice Bhakti

By Swami Gautmananda
How does one practise Bhakti to the Supreme Brahman whose infinite glory is hailed by the scriptures as beyond description? They state that He is formless and that He is the very essence of Eternal Truth, Consciousness and Bliss. How does a simple Jivatma establish contact with such a great personality?

Sri Ramakrishna used to answer this legitimate doubt in the hearts of many of his devotees by advocating the practice of meditating on any one of the forms of the Lord, say Rama, Krishna or Siva. Is there any need for a thirsty person to know the extent of water available in a lake or a pond when a cup of water is enough to slake his thirst? Though the Lord's greatness is limitless, any form of God is enough for us to cultivate Bhakti. When a picture of the Lord or the stories of His Avatars can help one to meditate on Him, there is no need to take the trouble of trying to comprehend His infinite greatness.

The Bhagavad Gita extols the quality of Bhakti as a sure path to salvation and Lord Krishna holds the Bhakta in great esteem. What the Lord expects from the Bhakta is sincerity, faith and true devotion. The Lord accepts whatever a devotee offers — a fruit, leaf, flower or a drop of water — looking only for his love and devotion to Him.

The path of Jnana is difficult and it is easy for even the Jnani to succumb to the pulls of worldly attractions. All our sorrows are gone if we identify ourselves with the Atma rather than the body. This feeling liberates us from the limiting forces of worldly life. In Kali Yuga, doing one's duties in an unattached matter can lead to Bhakti. This attitude to one's day-to-day activities gradually leads our mind and thoughts to God. When we remember that all our actions, thoughts and words are on behalf of God and we just act as an instrument of God, there is no sense of ego with regard to the action. We also understand that the result of all our acts also is for the sake of God and not for any personal gain.

The ultimate aim of every Jivatma is to get liberated from the cycle of birth. This is attainable through devotion.