Significance Of Ganesha

गणेशा विजय के प्रतीक

Significance of the Ganesha

FormGanesha's head symbolizes the Atman or the soul, which is the ultimate supreme reality of human existence, and his human body signifies Maya or the earthly existence of human beings. The elephant head denotes wisdom and its trunk represents Om, the sound symbol of cosmic reality. In his upper right hand Ganesha holds a goad, which helps him propel mankind forward on the eternal path and remove obstacles from the way. The noose in Ganesha's left hand is a gentle implement to capture all difficulties.
The broken tusk that Ganesha holds like a pen in his lower right hand is a symbol of sacrifice, which he broke for writing the Mahabharata. The rosary in his other hand suggests that the pursuit of knowledge should be continuous. The laddoo (sweet) he holds in his trunk indicates that one must discover the sweetness of the Atman. His fan-like ears convey that he is all ears to our petition. The snake that runs round his waist represents energy in all forms. And he is humble enough to ride the lowest of creatures, a mouse.

Process Of Enquiry

Process of enquiry
By Sri.K.Srinivasan

Courtesy The Hindu

The definitive teaching of the Vedas is in the Upanishads which are their final portion, and hence this teaching is popularly known as Vedanta. The teaching in this is about the Self (Brahman, Atman), and the Upanishads adopt two distinct methods to explain it. The first way is to summarise the entire philosophy in pithy statements and the other is the method of elaboration wherein the nuances are explained for clarity. Both these approaches are necessary in the pursuit of any knowledge.
the commentary on the aphorism of Jaimini’s Purva Mimamsa (“Then therefore enquiry into Dharma.”) stated that it was necessary to know Adharma also so that an individual could refrain from violating the principles of Dharma. Similarly, when the Self becomes the topic of discussion in the Upanishads and in the Brahmasutras, the non-Self is also explained. In the pursuit of the study of the Self, the individual becomes both the subject and the object of knowledge. Hence it is not possible to explain spiritual knowledge in an explicit manner as in the case of other disciplines and its understanding depends on the relationship between the Guru and the disciple. The disciple has to grasp it when the Guru guides him step by step in this enquiry. Sankara’s Dakshinamurti stotra best captures the process of imparting Self-knowledge. It states that the Guru (Dakshinamurti) is youthful while his disciples are old, and when he teaches the truth in silence the doubts of the disciples get resolved. Why is Self-knowledge taught in silence? Whatever is articulated automatically becomes “other than the Self.” So Self-knowledge is to be experienced and cannot be taught. It is to emphasise this mystery that Upanishads like the Mundaka and the Brihadaranyaka say that Self-knowledge must be learnt in silence. Self-enquiry then involves directing the mind inward after leaving aside all the distractions of the world. How does one achieve this mental turnaround? The spiritual seeker must be able to categorise everything that he experiences into the Self and the non-Self so that he becomes conscious that without the “I” there is no knowledge.

The above posting is done in continution of Dakshinamurthy

Dakshinamurhty

DAKSHINAMURTHY
Courtesy C.L.Ramakrishnan

Dakshinamurthy is perhaps the only Hindu deity that sits facing the southern direction. This fact is implicit in the name itself. The great seer Ramana Maharshi, has interpreted the name as "Dakshina amurty", meaning one who is capable but without form. Both names refer to Lord Siva and represent Him as the Supreme Teacher. Dakshinamurthy's uniqueness as a teacher lies in the fact that he teaches through silence, through his all-pervasive Consciouness. The traditional image that portray Him thus is described by Sankara with a poetic play of words in the seventh verse of this work as "mudraya bhadraya". None can equal Sankara when it comes to the combination of the highest philosophical truths with brevity, simplicity and beauty of Sanskrit verse. In a short compass of ten verses he leads us to understand the oneness of the individual self and Brahman, the Ultimate Reality. Deep devotion to a personal God provides the way to seeing and attaining that Reality despite the limitations and illusory perceptions of the psycho-physical organism, that cloud that reality.

Adi Sankara's Stotra On Dakshinamurthy English translation of sanskrit shlokas
I worship that south facing God, who revels in his own self the prime-preceptor, who sports the symbol of consciousness and is the very personification of bliss, surrounded by groups of sages and seers established in the Ultimate Reality, who is of tender age and expounding the concepts of philosophy by silence, so eloquent although. Seated on the floor and under the banyan tree, purveyor of the valid knowledge to all the groups of sages and seers directly, the lord of all the three worlds and the south facing god, the one who cuts asunder the cycle of births and deaths, I bow down in supplication. What a wonderful picture it is that is there under the banyan tree, where the preceptor is young and the disciples are old., the explanation of the preceptor is silence but yet the disciples have their doubts shattered. I bow down in salutation to the south-facing god, who is the repository of all knowledge, the physician for those who are struck with the disease of transmigration and the preceptor of all the worlds. I salute that south-facing god, who represents the import of the mystic syllable "OM" and represents the absolute reality, who is blemishless and of quietitude. who sees within himself, the universe which is in him, by the illusory power (maya), similar to a city that is seen in a reflecting mirror, but which is manifested outside, as though, for a perceiver at the time of waking, his own self without a second, may this adoration be to him, that Lord incarnated as the preceptor; in physical form. Out of his own will, who like a magician or a great yogi displays this universe which was undifferentiated earlier like the sprout in the seed but later is rendered differentiated under different situations like the time, space and activities, all due to the play of illusory power- maya-to him be this adoration, the one who is the Lord incarnate as the preceptor, in physical form. Whose luminosity is existence itself, entering all objects which are non-existent, as it were, shines forth; who instructs those who seek refuge in him that they are that supreme reality, as in the scriptural text; by realising whom these will occur no more entry into the ocean of transmigration of the soul, the one who is the Lord incarnate as the preceptor, in physical form, be this adoration. Who is effulgent like a lamp glowing within a pitcher with many apertures; whose knowledge goes out through the eyes and the other organs of perception; whose perception is that "I know" whom the entire universe reflects as it glows following him; to him be this adoration, the one who is the Lord incarnate as the preceptor, in physical form.
Those who think that the physical body or the vital airs within it or the sense organs or the intellect or the nothingness as Supreme Reality, are labouring under an illusion like children, women and the sightless and blabber too much. May this adoration be to him, the annihilator of the delusion caused by the expansive might of the power of illusion, the one who is the Lord incarnate as the preceptor, in physical form. He who is in the state of sleep due to dissolution of the mind caused by the veiling power of Maya- like the sun or the moon eclipsed by (ketu) or Rahu, upon waking recalls self-existence in the manner of "I have slept till now ", to him be this adoration, the one who is the Lord incarnate as the preceptor in physical form. In all states of flux like the childhood (youth and old age) and the waking (sleeping and dreaming ) state, with the consciousness within shining as "I" , at all times, that one who also reveals the real nature of the self to those who seek refuge in him as by means of the symbol that is auspicious, him as seekers of knowledge, to him be this adoration, the one who is the Lord incarnate as the preceptor in physical form. Due to the illusive power of Maya, he who sees the universe with distinctions and in a disparate state like cause and its effect, master and vassal, preceptor and seeker, father and son etc., in the states of dream and waking , to him be this adoration, who is the Lord incarnate as the preceptor in physical form. Who has this universe that moves and also moves not and comprises in appearance as the earth, water, fire, air , the space, the sun, the moon and the individual soul as his manifestation in an eightfold manner, and for those who comprehensively analyse there exists nothing beyond these, to him may this adoration be , who is that Lord incarnate as the preceptor, in physical form. As it has been clarified like a crystal in this hymn, that everything has the lord as the soul, by listening to, by cogitating upon the import of what has been listened to, meditating contemplatively upon it and singing this hymn, by these practices will occur the knowledge of the universal self with all its glory and over-lordship, on its own (or therafter) and the supernatural faculties in their eight forms without let or hindrance.

Our Needs & God

Remember Swamy Vivekananda's Saying, GOD never gave me what I wanted he always gave me what I needed.

The Righteous Path

Rishi Vashishta
The righteous path
By Sri N.V.Deviprasad
Courtesy The Hindu
Scriptures stress that enlightenment is attained only through practice of detachment and discrimination with faith and discipline. Renunciation of material and worldly attainments is the only means to gain salvation. The Kathopanishad throws light on the social, cultural and ethical values while clarifying the path to attain the highest goal of life,. The young Nachiketas was anxious for his father’s welfare when he witnessed his father giving away emaciated cows during the performance of a sacrificial rite. Was not the very purpose of the gift lost and what kind of benefit was in store for such an act of charity that robbed the very spirit of giving? When this doubt was voiced in a subtle manner, the father sent him to Yama’s abode.
As Yama was away for three days the boy waited patiently for him and as a mark of atonement for this inadvertent lapse, Yama offered him three boons. Nachiketas prayed for his father’s wellbeing and then sought instruction from Yama regarding the fate of the soul after death. Yama tested the boy’s firm resolve before imparting the instruction. He offered him all the riches but Nachiketas was not to be tempted since he understood that all wealth, prosperity, etc., were time bound and ephemeral. More importantly, who better than Yama could instruct in this esoteric knowledge?
Yama illustrates the Jivatma’s journey of life with the analogy of a chariot ride. The destination, liberation, is safely reached only by keeping a careful watch over the senses.
The body is like a chariot to which the senses are yoked. The mind is like the reins, with which the charioteer (understanding) controls the horses. The path of the chariot in which the soul rides is the material world of objects. The goal can be reached only by wielding a wise and firm hold over the reins to control the horses to tread in the right direction.
One has to choose between what is good (Sreyas) and what is preferable (Preyas). It is important to realise that what is preferable need not be the good and it is only the righteous path that gives inner peace where there is no desire, dislike, anger, laziness, etc.

In the blog posted on Sages,Rishis and Saints we have mentioned about the Rishi Nachiketa whose story is now detailed above.

Three Secrets To Happiness

We all know that money can’t buy happiness … but many times we act as if we’d be happier with a bit more money. We are conditioned to want to be rich (when we know the rich aren’t happy either); we are trained to want the latest gadget or style that television tells us to want; we want to earn more money because then we’ll have the good life.
But none of that will bring us happiness. No matter how much we earn, no matter how much we have in the bank, no matter how nice our clothing or cars or toys, none of it will make us happier. And the sad thing is that it could take us decades of pursuing wealth and luxury items before we realize this.
So what will bring us happiness? Luckily, it’s three things that don’t cost a thing. These three things have been proven by research — surveys of hundreds of thousands of people about what they have, what their lives are like, and how happy they are.
Here they are, the Three Secrets to Happiness:
Good relationships. We have a human need to be close, to be intimate, with other human beings. Having good, supportive friendships, a strong marriage or close and loving relationships with our family members will make us much more likely to be happy. Action steps: Take time, today, to spend time with your loved ones, to tell them what they mean to you, to listen to them, and develop your relationship with them.
Positive thinking. I’m obviously a big proponent of positive thinking as the best way to achieve your goals, but it turns out that it can lead to happiness too. Optimism and self-esteem are some of the best indicators of people who lead happy lives. Happy people feel empowered, in control of their lives, and have a positive outlook on life. Action steps: Make positive thinking a habit. In fact, this should be one of the first habits you develop. Get into the habit of squashing all negative thoughts and replacing them with positive ones. Instead of “I can’t” think “I can”. It may sound corny, but it has worked for me, every time.
Flow. This is a popular concept on the Internet these days — the state we enter when we are completely focused on the work or task before us. We are so immersed in our task that we lose track of time. Having work and leisure that gets you in this state of flow will almost undoubtedly lead to happiness. People find greatest enjoyment not when they’re passively mindless, but when they’re absorbed in a mindful challenge. Action steps: Find work that you’re passionate about. Seriously — this is an extremely important step. Find hobbies that you’re passionate about. Turn off the TV — this is the opposite of flow — and get outside and do something that truly engages you.
You’ve been given the Three Secrets to Happiness. Don’t waste them!

Sages Rushis & Saints

Sankara

Sri Ramana Maharishi

Madavacharya


Sages,Rushis & Saints

Shankaracharya
One of the greatest philosophers and savants of Bharat. He established four spiritual centres in the four corners of the country, thus upholding the underlying unity of the holy land of Bharat.
Samartha Ramadas

Shivaji's preceptor and guide, Ramadas imparted to him the message that till we fulfil the required duty towards the motherland. he provide succour and guidance to thousands.
Vasishta
Vasishta was a great ascetic. He was the preceptor of great men like Sri Rama and Harischandra. He had conquered anger and desire. He was a great saint who humbled insolent men.
Madhwacharya

He is the saint who installed the idol of Sri Krishna at Udupi in Karnataka. The philosophy he preached was previously known as 'Tattwavade'. Now it is know as 'Dwaita'
Veda Vyasa
The 'Mahabharata' remains a marvel in the literature of hte worlod. Veda Vyasa was the sage who gave the world this storehouse of realism, wisdom and compassion.
Tukaram

A Great Saint who lived only for his God Vittala. He faced varieties of difficulties wiht astonishing patience. His devotional songs are an invaluable contribution to Marathi spiritual literature.
Ramana Maharshi
A Great Soul, He left home in boyhood seeking knowledge and peace. Ramana Maharshi was full of compassion for all living beings. He became kindly light to all who came to him seeking peace of mind.
Swami Vivekananda

The Valiant monk who proclaimed in America the greatness of Hinduism and of Indian culture at a time when the west regarded India as a land of Barbarians. The beloved disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. He was the great thinker and mighty man of action.
Bharadwaja
A Sage of the Vedic period - a great seer who attained extraordinary scholarship and power of meditation. An enlightened man who used his might for punishing the wicked and protecting the poor and the weak.
Dayananda Saraswathi

The founder of hte Arya Samaj. The great sage who sought to restore to Hinduism its natural radiance and wisdom. A fearless reformer. he saved the man who poisoned him. so boundless was his goodness.
Parashurama
Parashurama - the epic hero with an axe - was a real 'Yama' ( God of Death) to the evil and arrogant. He traversed and earth twenty-one times and punished hte evil - doers who were harrassing the people. Parashurama is recognised as one of the immortals an dan incarnation of God Vishnu.
Ramanujacharya

Chief exponent of hte Vishishtadvaita school of Vedanta and great social reformer. " If i can bring deliverance ot so many, I do not mind being condemned to hell," he said, and spread his spiritual message to eventhe lowliest of classes of poeple. He established the yatiraja Math and the Cheluva- narayanaswami temple at Melkote in Karnataka.
Ramasingh Kuka
Ram Singh was a religious leader and a good preceptor. He preached purity of body and purity of mind. He himself practised both. He opposed lavish spending at marriages and taught people to help the poor. He also worked against British Empire and breathed his last in a far-off prison.
Vishwamitra

Vishwamitra quarrelled wiht Vashishta and was defeated. But Vashishta himself named him as a Brahmarshi. He tested the truthfulness of Harischandra. in him we see a confluence of three high qualities - valour, knowledge and sympathy - which have made him great.
Mahaveer
The young prince who gave up power, position and money to follow hte path of Jainish. He spent twelve long years in strict meditation and became a light to millions.
Agasthya

The mighty sage to hwom the moutain bowed, and who drank the sea empty. He humbled the arrogant and punished the wicked. He is the symbol of man's heroism and confident strength.
Vedanta - Deshikar
A Great scholar and saint who lived about six hundred years ago. His personality was a blend of immense scholarship and a matching devotion of God.Love for mankind marked his eventful life; and he was full of piety and humility.
Vidyaranya

A great and famous saint who is known as the founder of Karnataka. When people had lost all hope, he proved inspirationto Hakka and Bukka who filled the people with hope and courage. He stove to strong-then the foundations of the empire of Vidyanagar.
Narada
A holy personage and celestial musician, always facilitating the good of the world; engaged in aiding hte pious in times of challenge and in hastening theretribution of evil-doers. Traversing the three worlds, he spread the Path of Devotion to the Lord.
Basaveshwara

The revolutionary who taught that right conduct is heaven. he declared that work is worship and taught the ideals of simple living and the equality of all men. And he practised what he preached.
Yajnavalkya
A Brahmarshi. The master mind that produced 'Shukla Yajurveda'. He was the master who guided thousands of persons, from king Janaka tot he commonest students on the path of Enlightment.
Narayana Guru

The Saint - reformer, who led a quiet but significant social revolution. A Champion of the humble and the downtrodden, he gave the watchwords : " One people, one Dharma, One God for all men."
Nachiketa
He sought knowledge at a very tender age.His father one day told him " I have gifted you to the Lord of Death.' This curse turned out to be a boon. He met the lord of Death and by his humility won him and leart the secrets of spiritual life. He is a true sage and a beacon- light for others in the path of knowledge.