WHICH VIEW DO YOU BELIEVE IN ?

One view is that you are a prisoner of fate. Whatever you do, you simply cannot change it. Another view is that we are absolutely free. You have freedom of choice between picking right or wrong. At every step of life, you can make the effort to improve your condition. Acting thus, you could change your karma and so alter your destiny.
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Is Sanskrit (In)dispensable for Hindu Liturgy?

Another good question that Hindus, especially North American diasporic Hindus, ought to ask themselves concerns the indispensability of Sanskrit for Hindu ritual and prayers, basically for Hindu liturgy. Though it is true that vernacular languages have played a significant role in regional and devotion forms of Hinduism, the version that has developed in North America are founded on the centrality and indispensability of Sanskrit in temple rituals, home services (sacraments such as marriages etc.) and in prayers.

But how many practitioners understand the Sanskrit that is being recited? How many devotees (and potential devotees) are disenchanted or alienated because they do not understand the purport of the ritual or of the prayer? (Alternatively, how many are mesmerized by this?) Should Hindu temples in North America change their liturgical language to English? or to the majority language of the congregation (Hindi, Tamil, Gujarati etc.)? or should the liturgy still be in Sanskrit and interested devotees can obtain helpful "translations" or play-by-play guides in the vernacular language of their choosing?

The Second Vatican Council of the Catholic Church addressed and rectified a somewhat similar problem in Sacrosanctum Concilium 36, where it was recognized that "the use of the mother tongue, whether in the Mass, the administration of the sacraments, or other parts of the liturgy, frequently may be of great advantage to the people..." Is this, then, the direction that Hindu temples in North America ought to take? Would it be beneficial if the liturgy were in the vernacular?

Such a scenario, to use the vernacular, may, prima facie, seem like a good idea. But several critical questions would need to be answered: Is there something about Sanskrit itself that would make a non-Sanskrit liturgy inefficacious? Would the gods/goddesses propitiated be "deaf" if the propitiation were not in Sanskrit? Would the gods/goddesses be unable to understand non-Sanskrit reverence (i.e. it's all Greek to me)? Would imploring Shri Ganesh, the elephant-headed deity, for example, in English, not provide the desired results? And is Sanskrit translatable? Could the purport of the liturgy in Sanskrit ever be accurately conveyed in English, Telegu, Chinese or any other vernacular? And if translation were permissible, then who would do the translation, and, more importantly, who would authorize it? While this issue was addressed in Sacrosanctum Concilium 36 ("Translations from the Latin text into the mother tongue intended for use in the liturgy must be approved by the competent territorial ecclesiastical authority mentioned above"), is there a credentialed governing Hindu group in North America (or elsewhere) who would have such power? And from where would such a group derive its authority?

These are just a few of the sort of questions that would arise should Hindus ask about the in/dispensability of Sanskrit in Hindu liturgy. It may be a critical time for Hindus, especially diasporic Hindus, to reflect on this. After all, many second-generation diasporic Hindus are neither familiar with Sanskrit nor with the vernacular language of their parents and may, consequently, opt to jettison their Hindu identities.
What do you think?

3 Ways to Increase Your Focus During Meditation

On a recent flight to Jackson, Wyo., it wasn't only the plane that soared to new heights -- so did a conversation with my seat-mate.
I had an inclination of something that might occur when she took out a book on Buddhist wisdom. So it came as no surprise that after laughing about some shared travel experiences, the topic shifted.

"Do you meditate?" she asked.

"Yes," I said.

"I can't stop my thoughts from swirling around in circles when I do," she told me. "For instance, my yoga teacher asked me to focus on '1', but I just kept thinking -- does she mean the number 1 or the word o-n-e?"

I laughed and said, "I totally get it!"
It can be hard to quiet our thoughts, whatever we're doing, despite our best intentions -- whether we're in a class, in a meeting, behind the wheel, or even sitting in silence. (Sometimes especially when we are trying to sit silently!) My to-do list keeps insisting it needs my attention, or I might find myself ruminating on a past or future event.

But it's worth it to mentally quiet down. It's now well-documented how a practice of regularly calming our thinking is healthy -- evidence abounds showing that meditation is good for emotional and physical wellbeing.

The Journal of Neuroscience reported recently that newly-trained meditators showed a 40 percent reduction in pain intensity and a 57 percent reduction in pain unpleasantness after just a few sessions of meditation. Other recent research found that mindfulness-based stress reduction methods can decrease loneliness and, remarkably, may reduce "pro-inflammatory gene expression" in older adults.

These two studies focused on using a tightly structured program of meditation. But there isn't just one way to practice it.

I asked a few Boston-based yoga instructors what kind of training they'd received. They said it runs the gamut. They'd received training about many different ways to meditate, and incorporate different ideas they find helpful into their own practices and classes.

It's not just yogis, martial artists and people taking an active interest in Eastern philosophy who meditate. In 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention determined that over 20 million Americans meditate to improve their health.

Even the website for the movie Escape Fire -- a documentary to be released October 5 about radical changes needed in the U.S. health care system -- has a meditation app in its solution area.

This indicates how widespread the approaches taken to meditation can be.

One definition of meditation is to engage in contemplation or reflection. Another is to engage in mental exercise to reach a heightened level of spiritual awareness. Often, people associate meditation with Buddhism or Hinduism, or even consider it to be a purely secular activity.

But contemplative practices are also deeply rooted in Judeo-Christian scripture. For example, in one of David's songs, he says: "I meditate on all Your works; I muse on the work of Your hands."

Rather than the practice of emptying one's thought, this suggests an approach of consciously filling thought with something good, of meditating on a divine influence that acts throughout our day.
Time and time again, I've found that this brings a feeling of release from needing to control every aspect of my experience.

That may sound great in theory, but in practice, we may go back to trying to figure out how to stop wondering about that tricky question sitting in our email, or why we're stuck folding so much laundry every week.

So how can we move past this pesky mental chatter and think about a broader perspective? Here are a few ways I've found helpful to fill my thoughts in my moments of meditation:

1. Silently ask a really big question.

Simply allowing ourselves to consider big questions can completely change the trajectory of our thoughts. For example, I've asked questions like, "How unlimited is divine spirit, or just how good is divine love?" And then I'll wait to gain some sense of that.

I've found that when I accept the insights that come to me, it transforms my thinking. It gives me a peaceful feeling of stillness and a sense of release from concern about my ability to accomplish what lies ahead.

2. Consider the idea that you're connected to the divine.

After my flight landed in Jackson, Wyo., I headed out to a rural destination for a friend's wedding, and in the night sky I could see the Milky Way so brilliantly. As I reveled in the vastness of the universe, I thought about the oneness of everything. It's not like we are in one place and the stars are in a separate place -- I was glimpsing that time and space are constructions of a limited perspective. There is nothing that divides us from each other because we are all linked directly to and through the divine.
This had a unifying aspect to it that enabled me to feel as though I was part of the spiritual spokes that emanate from a divine source along with everything I could see in the vast sky and everyone else around me.
Contemplating this idea of connection with the divine and with one another in this way made it feel simpler for me to navigate and enjoy the busyness of the wedding weekend.

3. "Marinate" in those ideas.

Just as marinades work through chemical reactions with food -- to make it more tender and enhance the flavor -- letting new insights overtake old ways of thinking can tenderize and enhance our being.

When a new perspective comes in response to contemplating a big question or a sense of connectedness, we can be humble enough to soak it in and let it calm and still our thought. Humility helps provide the mental space to consider a new angle. And having this mental space makes it easier to bring fresh insights into our next activity after we have finished meditating.

I find that considering even just one spiritual point expands my thinking and changes me. I also find that I need to practice this type of thinking regularly in order to feel the benefits consistently.

Before my seat-mate and I parted, I mentioned some of these thoughts on contemplative thinking. She said, "I'm definitely going to try asking a big question the next time I meditate!"

Later, at the ranch in Wyoming, overlooking golden-colored aspens clapping in the wind, it was easy to delight in the stillness of the moment.
But getting back to my daily routine, that "ah-ha" moment hasn't completely left me. I've returned to Boston with a slightly more joyful spring in my step and a touch more peace in my heart.

The Importance of Wearing the Bindi

The uniqueness of Hinduism lies in the fact that all the rituals and activities prescribed by the Vedas are to be performed by us to get us closer to the ultimate truth of life, Ishvara and myself. But this truth is not easily understood. It requires enormous amount of chitta shudhi (literally meaning purity of the mind i.e.mind with minimum likes and dislikes). The Vedas, as interested as they are in our understanding of our scriptures, are kind enough to give us an insight into how to attain that chita shudhi before plunging into the “knowledge”.
As I had already mentioned, one aspect of understanding and assimilating this jnanam is understanding the concept of Ishwara (or god). In our Hindu culture the truth about god is “All that is here is just only God and nothing else”. As Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswathi, succinctly puts it “In our religion, we don’t have many gods, we don’t have one god, we have only god”.

Since EVERYTHING is manifestation of Ishwara including the body, we do alankara or decoration to the body.
Though I have always been a bindi wearer all my life, I never knew the real facts behind wearing the bindi until I had the good fortune of meeting Pujya Swamiji in mid 2011 along with a youth group. Pujya Swamiji was addressing how glorious our Hindu culture was and how small things made a huge impact on our living style.

In the beginning, the womens’ only form of bindis were kumkumam (vermillion powder). It added what we call Mangalam to the woman. Slowly, due to foreign influences, bindis were seen as fancy ornaments and started coming in various colours and shapes. Competitions were conducted for designing and colouring the bindi. The winning design was the one with the smallest size and the same colour as the skin! This became a hit among the young minds who started using it in various colours, sizes and designs thereby diluting the kumkumam and the entire mangalakaram concept. The colour bindis were a trend for years to come and there were many add-ons to the same.

Slowly this was further diluted by opining loudly that bindi was only a cosmetic and it became an OPTION whether to wear it or not (it was already too small, anyway). This became the fashion statement and has graduated into a habit which is now widely practiced and well known.

When Pujya Swamiji said this, I felt I had really been shaken awake from a deep sleep. I was shocked and proud at the same time. Shocked because of the manner in which our culture was disintegrating, and proud because of two things – (i) I am a part of this wonderful culture (ii) I have not been influenced by this so called “fashion statement” in anyway, and though I do not wear the traditional kumkumam, I am ALWAYS (I can vouch for it) with a red bindi on my forehead.

I hope this serves as an eye-opener for the delusion that girls of my age are under, and provides them even more reasons to be proud of our Sanatana Dharma.

Ghosts in Hindu Religion – the Preta Concept in Hinduism

Ghost in Hinduism is referred as ‘preta’, ‘pey’, ‘pret’ or ‘pretam.’ Do Hindus believe in ghosts? It depends on the individual but it is believed that majority believe in ghosts. The concept of ghosts in Hindu religion is often associated with those people who had an unnatural death like murder, accident, etc and those dead people who were not given proper Hindu dead rituals like Shraadha or Tarpan.

In Hinduism, there is the concept of Kshooshma shareera apart from the physical body. This Kshooshma shareera is a sort of carbon copy of all the impressions of the five senses of the physical body. It is said in the Brahma Sutra that this acquired impressions is carried by the soul when it leaves the body.

What is left of these impressions on natural world, also referred as pinda shareeram, are completely destroyed through the various rituals performed to the dead in Hindu religion.

So the primary aim of Hindu death rituals is to destroy all the impressions that are left of a dead person in natural world and to release the soul. Therefore, what is popularly referred as ghost is completely destroyed by Hindu dead ceremonies.

If you carefully examine all the ghost stories, you will realize that the ghosts are associated with those people who had met with an unnatural death or whose ‘pinda shareera’ was not destroyed through the usual Hindu dead rituals. Such ‘pinda shareera’ will only get destroyed after a longtime and the natural destruction will depend on the aspirations and desires of the ‘pinda shareera.’ And such people are believed to roam the graveyards and there are references in the Puranas of Lord Shiva having an army of pretas or ghosts.

Now can a preta enter another person’s body? No. This is against the basic tenant of Santana Dharma (Hinduism) as a body can only have a single soul.

But hearing about the unnatural death of a person can make the listener sympathize with the dead person. And sympathy will become empathy and it can go to such an extent that the listener will assume the role of an agent to help the person who had met with unnatural death. This particular aspect has been widely used in Indian movies and folk stories and is often misunderstood as ghost.

All latent impression of dead person referred as ‘pinda shareera’ is destroyed by Hindu dead rituals like Shraadha and Tarpana. So the question of such souls roaming around as ghosts does not exist. Those ‘pinda shareera’ that did not receive proper burial get destroyed in due natural course.

But the greatness of Santana Dharma is that while performing rituals to dead ancestors, people knowingly or unknowingly perform rituals to all the dead. Thus it is believed that annual sharaadha ceremony performed destroys all the latent impressions of all the dead. Thus what is called ghost is properly dealt in Hindu religion and is given proper rest through rituals.

Forgiveness is Human

Forgiveness is Human

This is the final part of a series of three posts starting with “Time: past, present, and future“. The previous articles looked at God being within us all, and God not needing to forgive, as he always shows mercy and love.

Toy dealer's pet dog 'ate Batman'

The picture to the right is from a news story about a dog, Lola,  who chewed a rare vintage Batman toy which was worth £1,000.  Lola’s owner is a  collectable toy dealer, who was valuing the toy for a client.

The story starts with the words “She is out of the doghouse and already forgiven“.  Nobody would be surprised if the Lola’s owner was initially cross, but quickly forgave her. The anger would be a typical emotional response, but forgiveness would come easily, because everyone knows that the dog did not understand what she was doing. She was left on her own with something chewable and interesting, and followed her nature. Even if she knew that she was not supposed to chew the toys, she would have had no idea of the value of them, or that she had picked the most valuable toy in the collection.

Its possible that if her owner is someone in control of his emotions and of a generous disposition that he never got angry, and that understanding the situation would see that there was nothing to forgive.

However, forgiveness is not always that easy. People may have done something deliberate to take advantage of us, or hurt us. Some people even delight in causing pain to others.

Because Hindus believe that we are all divine at heart, we believe that every transgression is ultimately caused by our ignorance of our true nature.

Shiva: The beautiful one

There may be an infinite number of attributes in the universe that would make Shiva unique, for there is none like him. But some of the things that have always enticed me are as follows:

1. Shiva can be pleased simply by offering water or weed [1]. More than his liking, this shows the height of his acceptance.
2. Just like Shiva accepts the weakest plants — even the poisonous ones — he also accepts prayers from tamasic beings, including asuras. Few other forms of the Divine possess such unparalleled grace [2].
3. Sacred stories teach us that even other forms of the Divine, including Rama, Krishna, Vishnu, and Devi, worship Shiva. The list of his devotees, of course, includes the gods, saints, humans, and lower life forms. In other words, he is accessible to all — from a bee to Brahma.
4. He is easily pleased with both sakama and nishkama bhakti. He understands that many of us, the weak souls, may not be ready for his nishkama bhakti.
5. Sanatana dharma considers Shiva the ultimate giver. The scriptures describe how he gave away the most impressive functions of the universe to Vishnu and kept nothing for himself.

[1] It is the rainy season, the time of the year when Shiva makes it easier for Hindus to offer him water. Consequently, his temples are more frequently visited by Hindus during the month of shravan. Remember that Shiva not only accepts water or weed, he accepts flowers, sweet fruits, and vegetables as well!
[2] This should never be interpreted as, “Shiva is worshipped by mainly non-sattvic beings”; such interpretations suit only unthankful humans.

Vibhuti or Bhasma Should Be Used Wet or Dry?

Vibhuti or Bhasma is the sacred ash worn by Hindu devotees. There is a doubt among many devotees whether Bhasma should be used wet – after making it a paste (damp) – or dry. Bhasma that we receive from temples should worn dry. That which is kept at home should be made into a paste and worn.

Vibhuti that we bring from temples should not be mixed with the stock at home.

After applying Vibhuti paste, one should not wash the hands but cleanse it by applying the remnant on other parts including legs and hands.

 

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Importance of Milk Abhishek on Shivling – Pouring Milk on Shivlin

Pouring milk (abhishek or abhishekam) on Shivling is an important ritual dedicated to Shiva in temples and at home. After jal abhishek or ritual pouring of water, the next most important ritual is doodh or pal (milk) abhishekam. This ritual is performed especially by those married couples who are not having children.

The popular belief is that Rudra Abhishek with milk fulfills the desire of having children.

It is also recommended for those couple who are having difficulty with conceiving second child.

It is also believed that those couples who had lost their child during pregnancy or still birth will be blessed with healthy children after performing milk abhishek.

The milk that is to be used for the purpose should be cow milk.

Another belief is that performing abhishek with milk and sugar will help in improving intelligence. It is said that this ritual is so meritorious that a dumb witted person will become intelligent after this offering to Shiva.

Why we should not look at the Moon on Ganesh Chaturthi day? - The Story of Ganesha Cursing Moon

 

There is a common belief that one should not look at the moon on Ganesh Chaturthi (Vinayaka Chaturthi) day. There is an interesting story to this regard in Hindu scriptures. On a Ganesh Chaturthi day, Ganesha was eating sweets from the houses that were celebrating his birthday. Ganesha’s stomach was overfilled with ‘Modaks’ and other sweets and he could not move. So, he decided to ride on his vehicle mouse.

Mouse or Moshika was happily carrying Ganesha but suddenly a snake appeared and the mouse lost his balance and Ganesha fell down. Due to the intensity of the fall, the sweets in the over bloated stomach of Ganesha came tumbling out. Ganesha was not ready to give up the sweets and stuffed them back into his stomach and used the snake as rope to keep the stomach and the sweets intact.

Suddenly, Ganesha heard someone laughing and on looking he found that the moon was making fun of his fall. In a fit of rage, Ganesha removed one of his tusks and hurled it at the moon and cursed that henceforth no one will look at the moon on Ganesh Chaturthi day.

If anyone looks at the moon on the day, he/she will meet with numerous obstacles in life.

To be freed from the curse he/she should read or listen to the story of Lord Krishna and the Syamantaka Jewel in Srimad Bhagavad Purana.

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The Ten Great Reflection of Spiritual Life

The Ten Great Reflection of Spiritual Life 
Spiritual life is not easy. It is a constant struggle against nature, against your mind and body, and against the clinging and the lures of life which present themselves to you constantly and try to wean you away from your chosen path. Under such circumstances it is a challenge to remain focused on your practice and stick to your spiritual discipline. The following ten reflections are used in Buddhist tradition by monks to overcome distractions and difficulties and stay on the path of dhamra. The Buddha suggested them to his followers in one of his discourses, when he was staying at a monastery near Sravasthi in northern India. The ten reflections which he suggested on that occasion are collectively known as the dasa dharma sutra (dasa dhamma sutta) or the Ten Aphorisms of Dharma. The ten reflections can be practiced by anyone who wants to remain on the chosen spiritual path, independent of the religion or the spiritual philosophy in which one believes. They are particularly useful to overcome distractions and the old habits of the mind and the body.

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How To Enhance Or Improve Your Intuition

        How To Enhance Or Improve Your Intuition 
One fundamental truth about intuition is that you cannot force it to happen. It happens most of the time on its own, without any expectation. If you have a strong ego, very likely you may not be able to think intuitively. You may force yourself to think intelligently through hard work and discipline. But you cannot do the same in case of intuition. You can however let intuition arise on its own in your heart and mind. You can to do it by cultivating a passive, mindful, nonjudgmental and detached awareness and by not interfering with your thoughts with a rigid mindset
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Importance of Darbha Grass in Hinduism

Importance of Darbha Grass in Hinduism

Darbha, also called kusa or darbhai, is a grass leaf and is of great importance in Hinduism. Darbha is considered as a form of wealth and can cleanse us of our sins as it has the power to purify. There are several types of darbha grass that can be used such as darbhai, viswamitra, kusa, munja, sara, doorva etc.

Tradition avers that Brahma resides at the roots of kusa, Kesava in the centre and Sankara in the tip; and other Gods in the four directions – as in the case of a peepal tree.

Great sages like Harita, Markandeya, Atri, Kausika, Vyasa, Saataatapa, Yajnavalkya, Asvalayana and Apasthamba have eulogized darbha.

Though there are minor variations in the use of darbhai in deva karmas and pitru karmas, there is unison among all the Rishis in underscoring the place of darbhai in all rites and rituals.

The Vedas too speak specifically of the value of darbha: the acchidra section of Krisnayajurveda Braahmama is a case in point. Reference to darbha is found in granthas, the ancient texts of Sara-samuchaya, Smrti-saram, Smrti-ratnam, Smrti chintamani, Smrti-bbaskara and Vishnupurana. There are many Puranic stories woven around darbha.

The Mahabharata contains the story of Garuda, the mythic bird and Vishnu's vehicle bringing ambrosia and the serpents getting their tongue split lengthwise when they licked the darbha leaf on which a few drops of the ambrosia fell.

The story of Rama throwing darbha at Jayanta in the shape of a crow can be found in the Ramayana.

In the story of Mahabali, Vamana clears the spout of pitcher with a leaf of darbhai. Guru Shukracharya had entered the pitcher to block the water from falling down.

The botanical name of darbha is Poa Cynosuroides. Even modern researchers speak of its special characteristics and the power of its vibrations.
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Thoughts and Quotes on Vishwakarma Puja

Thoughts and Quotes on Vishwakarma Puja

In Hindu Religion, Vishwakarma is the divine architect of the universe. Biswakarma (as called in eastern parts of India) is also called the divine carpenter and is mentioned in the Rig Veda and is credited with Sthapatya Veda, the science of mechanics and architecture. Vishwakarma Puja is dedicated to the first carpenter – artisan who gave us all these wonderful knowledge.

Determination, hard work and patience make a good artisan. He becomes an excellent artisan when he remembers and pays respect to his ancestors and Lord Vishwakarma is the first ancestor of carpenters and artisans.

When we offer prayers to Him, we are offering prayers to all the ancestors who passed down the knowledge of various crafts. We are also praying to keep this knowledge and craft intact and also to pass it on to the next generation.

Daily prayers to Vishwakarma assure safety and success in the respective fields.

The greatness of Hindu tradition is that it respects and finds divinity in all activities of life. 

 

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Forms of God

Forms of God

Learning about the major forms of the Divine in Hinduism may, at times, become confusing for non-Hindus, especially because the hierarchy [1] may differ, depending on whom you ask. Contrary to propagated belief, the number of forms of the Divine in mainstream Hinduism is small. Contemporary Hinduism basically revolves around Rama/Krishna/Vishnu, Shakti (the Mother Goddess), and Shiva. The forms of God you would most likely meet in Hindu temples, Epics and Puranas, and literature by devotional saints are listed on the chart below (click on the chart to view it).

(Feminine forms of God are shown in purple font; masculine forms are in saffron font. Names of the divine couples are underlined.)

You must have noted that the chart above is Shakti-centric, where the dotted lines show the three primary forms of Shakti. For a Vaishnava, this chart would be made differently. The following is a Sita-Rama-centric chart showing the same forms of the Divine:

Now, you can visualize how a chart for devotees of Parvati-Shiva or Lakshmi-Vishnu would look like.

[1] Though many Hindus believe in a hierarchy, others understand that all the divine forms are the same Brahman.

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Different Perspectives

Different Perspectives

Our perspective in spirituality, like any other thought, is formed by the ratio of the three modes of nature (sattva, rajas, and tamas) in our mind. A few sample responses that may engage spiritual aspirants are given below.

a devotional response

“The Divine can not be known by my weak mind, though he/she can sure be seen. I need a darshan of Rama/Shiva/Shakti, so that I can surrender my soul to him/her.”

an intellectual response

“Brahman can be known; I’ll know him one day. It does not matter if he has manifestations or incarnations; I’ll meditate on the Brahman who resides in my heart.”

a confused response

“My path is the right path to God. Fortunately, I have joined the only sect where people make it to him. xyz purana is the genuine scripture; the other seventeen puranas are later additions.”

another confused response

“Because our ancestors were naive, they started equating ancient kings like Shiva or Krishna to whatever God stands for. Scriptures and their stories hold no relevance, for they were just a means of explaining stuff to the less trained.”

Of course, we need to be cautious of the last two approaches.

Clarity Of Thought Mantra

Clarity Of Thought Mantra

It is very common for us to not have clarity while trying to take important decisions. We may not be under any apparent pressure, nor is it necessary to even be aware of such an issue. But, whenever we are presented with options to make decisions on something important, we get too lost in thoughts. Such problems are often attributed to displeasure from the moon (chandra). The following is a simple ritual that such people can use to have more clarity in thoughts and to make better decisions.

On a Monday night , stare at the moon and chant "om chandraya namah" 11 times. Then from the next day, chant the following mantra 9 times every night for 14 consecutive nights.

om namo chandraya somaya mahadeva namah

You can also practice subtle meditation while chanting "om chandraya namah" 108 times for 21 consecutive days. Soon you will have more will-power, better decision-making and peace of mind.

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GLOBAL BHARAT: TIRTHA STHAN : A PLACE OF PILGRIMAGE :

GLOBAL BHARAT: TIRTHA STHAN : A PLACE OF PILGRIMAGE :: TIRTHA STHAN : A PLACE OF PILGRIMAGE : A place of pilgrimage is known as a ‘tirtha sthana’ – ‘which is associated with or inhabited by s...

TIRTHA STHAN : A PLACE OF PILGRIMAGE :

TIRTHA STHAN : A PLACE OF PILGRIMAGE :

A place of pilgrimage is known as a ‘tirtha sthana’ – ‘which is associated with or inhabited by sages deserving reverence, who are without desire, egoism or delusion and who have been purified by a performance of penance’ says the Garuda Purana. A tirtha refers to ‘crossing the ford’ – to cross is to be transformed. Among the holiest Hindu tirthas are sacred rivers, especially the Ganges. Its entire length is sacred, yet at some points t is believed that its sanctity comes to a focus. One of these points is Kashi. A tirtha is directly experienced as an intensification of the sacred or supernatural power in time and space. It is there – to be seen, to be felt, to enter, rather as the hearth is the centre of the home, to which all who enter naturally gravitate. And this, despite the fact that home and tirtha are essentially opposites.....
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BE HAPPY AS YOU ARE NOW

BE HAPPY AS YOU ARE NOW :

Don’t dwell in the past or worry about the future. Don’t have expectations. Indulging in thoughts of making vast sums of money; receiving abundant love; getting recognition and honour for a lifetime of work... If you think you will be happy when some of these dreams come true, you are chasing a mirage. Be happy as you now are and enjoy peace.

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Four Facts of Hinduism

 

These four facts--karma, reincarnation, all-pervasive divinity and dharma--are the essence of the Vedas and Agamas and the fabric of every Hindu's life. Speak of them to all who will listen. They are the heritage of all souls.

Karma

According as one acts, so does he become. One becomes virtuous by virtuous action, bad by bad action.Yajur Veda, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 4.4.5
Karma literally means "deed" or "act" and more broadly names the universal principle of cause and effect, action and reaction which governs all life. Karma is a natural law of the mind, just as gravity is a law of matter. Karma is not fate, for man acts with free will, creating his own destiny. The Vedas tell us, if we sow goodness, we will reap goodness; if we sow evil, we will reap evil. Karma refers to the totality of our actions and their concomitant reactions in this and previous lives, all of which determines our future. It is the interplay between our experience and how we respond to it that makes karma devastating or helpfully invigorating. The conquest of karma lies in intelligent action and dispassionate reaction. Not all karmas rebound immediately. Some accumulate and return unexpectedly in this or other births.

Reincarnation

After death, the soul goes to the next world, bearing in mind the subtle impressions of its deeds, and after reaping their harvest returns again to this world of action. Thus, he who has desires continues subject to rebirth.Yajur Veda, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 4.4.6
Reincarnation, punarjanma, is the natural process of birth, death and rebirth. At death we drop off the physical body and continue evolving in the inner worlds in our subtle bodies, until we again enter into birth. Through the ages, reincarnation has been the great consoling element within Hinduism, eliminating the fear of death. We are not the body in which we live but the immortal soul which inhabits many bodies in its evolutionary journey through samsara. After death, we continue to exist in unseen worlds, enjoying or suffering the harvest of earthly deeds until it comes time for yet another physical birth. The actions set in motion in previous lives form the tendencies and conditions of the next. Reincarnation ceases when karma is resolved, God is realized and moksha, liberation, is attained.

All-Pervasive Divinity

He is the God of forms infinite in whose glory all things are--smaller than the smallest atom, and yet the Creator of all, ever living in the mystery of His creation. In the vision of this God of love there is everlasting peace. He is the Lord of all who, hidden in the heart of things, watches over the world of time. Krishna Yajur Veda, Shvetashvatara Upanishad 4.14-15
As a family of faiths, Hinduism upholds a wide array of perspectives on the Divine, yet all worship the one, all-pervasive Supreme Being hailed in the Upanishads. As Absolute Reality, God is unmanifest, unchanging and transcendent, the Self God, timeless, formless and spaceless. As Pure Consciousness, God is the manifest primal substance, pure love and light flowing through all form, existing everywhere in time and space as infinite intelligence and power. As Primal Soul, God is our personal Lord, source of all three worlds, our Father-Mother God who protects, nurtures and guides us. We beseech God's grace in our lives while also knowing that He/She is the essence of our soul, the life of our life. Each denomination also venerates its own pantheon of Divinities, Mahadevas, or "great angels," who were created by the Supreme Lord and who serve and adore Him.

Dharma

Dharma yields Heaven's honor and Earth's wealth. What is there then that is more fruitful for a man? There is nothing more rewarding than dharma, nor anything more ruinous than its neglect.Tirukural 31-32
When God created the universe, He endowed it with order, with the laws to govern creation. Dharma is God's di vine law prevailing on every level of existence, from the sustaining cosmic order to religious and moral laws which bind us in harmony with that order. Related to the soul, dharma is the mode of conduct most conducive to spiritual advancement, the right and righteous path. It is piety and ethi cal practice, duty and ob ligation. When we follow dharma, we are in conformity with the Truth that inheres and instructs the universe, and we naturally abide in closeness to God. Adharma is opposition to divine law. Dharma is to the individual what its normal development is to a seed--the orderly fulfillment of an inherent nature and destiny.

WHICH VIEW DO YOU BELIEVE IN ?

WHICH VIEW DO YOU BELIEVE IN ?

One view is that you are a prisoner of fate. Whatever you do, you simply cannot change it. Another view is that we are absolutely free. You have freedom of choice between picking right or wrong. At every step of life, you can make the effort to improve your condition. Acting thus, you could change your karma and so alter your destiny.

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BE HAPPY AS YOU ARE NOW

BE HAPPY AS YOU ARE NOW :

Don’t dwell in the past or worry about the future. Don’t have expectations. Indulging in thoughts of making vast sums of money; receiving abundant love; getting recognition and honour for a lifetime of work... If you think you will be happy when some of these dreams come true, you are chasing a mirage. Be happy as you now are and enjoy peace.
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CALMNESS OF THE MIND

CALMNESS OF THE MIND :

The mind can open up a spectrum of possibilities including inner wisdom, heighten awareness of being and relate to universal cosmic energy.But the same mind, by falling prey to substance abuse, lust and anger, could not only rob itself of its power of reasoning but also cause havoc with physical health. The mind could get trapped in the web of past and future, hardly ever stopping for the present.To become fully alive to the present moment and enter into an elevated state of awareness, the mind has to calm down as it is the seat of perception and interpretation.

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HUMAN BEINGS AND THE THREE EXPERIENCES

HUMAN BEINGS AND THE THREE EXPERIENCES :

Every day you have three types of experiences. One is the waking experience in which you experience through your senses and mind. The second experience is dream. In dream you do not experience through the senses, but through your subconscious mind. The third experience is sleep in which there is no knowledge of time and space, no knowledge about yourself or about anything in sleep, but when you get up in the morning, you know that you slept well the night before.So every day the individual self undergoes these three experiences alternately. These experiences relate to a particular field. Whenever your individual self goes to one particular realm, it has one experience, and as your individual self changes the field, realm or dimension, it has another experience. For example, if you go to the North Pole, you will feel cold, or if you go to a tropical country, you will feel hot.

ACT ON LIFE AS SOON AS YOU CAN

ACT ON LIFE AS SOON AS YOU CAN :

One of the lessons I have learnt in my own life is that if you don’t act on life, life has a habit of acting on you. Days slip into weeks, weeks slip into months and months slip into years. Pretty soon it’s all over and you are left with nothing more than a heart filled with regret over a life half lived.
George Bernard Shaw was asked on his deathbed, “What would you do if you could live your life over again?” He reflected, then replied with a deep sigh: “I’d like to be the person I could have been but never was.” I hope this never happens to you.
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om namha shivay

SHIVJI.......our Miracle Worker.
SHIVJI.......our Healer.
SHIVJI.......our Master.
SHIVJI.......our Light.
SHIVJI.......our Bread of LIfe.
SHIVJI.......our Living Water.
LIKE if you agree!!!
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:: The Universal Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva ::

However, according to another and deeper view, Shiva represents the transcendent (what is called Brahman or the Absolute in Vedanta thought), Vishnu the cosmic lord (Ishvara), and Brahma the cosmic mind (Mahat Tattva). The Divine power in its higher essence beyond all manifestation is known as Shiva. When it enters into human beings it becomes Vishnu, and when it becomes the basis of our intelligence it becomes Brahma. We can only have an intimation from our mortal world of that supreme immortality. Vishnu, on the other hand, takes a human form to guide, protect and save us. Brahma is ever present as knowledge, teaching and ritual.

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Are Souls different from god ?

Are Souls different from god ?

There are several theories to expalin this but no one knows for sure which one is cordorrect......... According to one approach the whole universe is one same reality. there is no distinction or duality between God and the soul except in our preception. god and soul are the one and the same.the soul has never been separeted from the God and never would be. the same supreme act as indivisual...... soul without undergoing any change or division.thhis is Adviata or non- dualistic school of philosphy.

According to the another line of thinking in the same school, there is no actual division or separation between the God and soul. But as the God comes in contact with the earthly nature abd enters the earthy form, he starts reflecting some peculiariities or qualities, though a reality they are only illusory and there is no actual difference between the............. God in these forms (Saguna) and the without these forms (nirguna ). this is called vishishtadviata or qualifies non-dualism school of thoughts.

According to another school of thought known as Dviata philosphy founded by shri Madhvacharya, there are two sets of reality: one the Brahaman and the other the independent souls and the lifeless objects. The souls are not created by Gd or Brahman but the distinct and different from the beginning. Thus the reality is dual, consisting of the One and the Many. The indivisual souls are real physical entities similar to the one in every aspect except in space and time and some qualities.The soul undergoes several births and deaths till it attains liberation through its own efforts.

These are major currents of thought that are speculative in nature.............Many hindus even don't understand subtel differences that exits among the various interpretations. And no one can tell us what is yhe ultimate nature of things. a subject like this cannot be clarified by anyone. Everyone has to realize it by himself through self-realization.

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LIFE'S JOURNEY

LIFE'S JOURNEY 
The journey is about letting your mind, the small one that you're familiar with, dissolve and expand into the Big Mind, the place of infinite potential. Tapping into it allows you flow, surrender, co-creation and higher guidance.The heart, remember, guides you to increasing connectivity, joy and love. It replaces pain as a habit. The journey has to be lived, not merely understood.

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LOVE AND GRATITUDE

LOVE AND GRATITUDE : Look at the Sun, it gives you love and light and sustains you and the whole of existence. Did you ever hear the sun whispering in your ears, “Hey! You have not saluted me and so no love, no light for you today?” Whether you express your gratitude and reverence to the sun or not the sun always floods you with light and love and sustains you through the vagaries of life. So also is God. He never waits for your salutations but keeps you flooded with innumerable gifts every moment of your life. Of course, the more you open your eye of awareness and try to see in the midst of darkenss the flickers of Light that is always there, your eye would show you, for What you want to see, you see. Like your own mother, the Divine loves you irrespective of whehter you reciprocate with gratitude or not. Start recognizing the grace without any expectation of magic, and just do with a heart of love and gratitude, for the divine principle that works all the miracles in the world is Love and Gratitude.

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DARKNESS AND LIGHT - KNOWLEDGE

DARKNESS AND LIGHT - KNOWLEDGE

Most often, our lives are wasted in fear! In order to drive away darkness from his house, one man was found carrying out bucket-loads of darkness and emptying them a futile task. His preoccupation with driving out darkness took him nowhere. Darkness is absence of light. If only he had attempted to light a small lamp, darkness would have disappeared!

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Mindfulness meditation reduces loneliness

Loneliness is a major risk factor for health problems — such as cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's — and death in older adults. A new study led by Carnegie Mellon University's J. David Creswell has provided the first evidence that mindfulness meditation reduces loneliness in older adults. For the study, the research team recruited 40 healthy adults aged 55-85 who indicated an interest in learning mindfulness meditation techniques. Each person was assessed at the beginning and end of the study using an established loneliness scale. Blood samples also were collected.

These findings suggest that mindfulness meditation training may reduce older adults' inflammatory disease risk. " more.........

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Without exception, everyone belongs to Sanatan Dharma

Sanatan means eternal, universal with respect to time and space. The core principle of the Sanatan Dharm is whoever — Creator, God, Brahman, Parmatma, Alah, Father, Jesus — or whatever the nature, is in everything including all of us. The dharma means duty in individual sense, and globally it means the universal law by which we all are bound together. Therefore, it implies that we are all equal and nobody is superior or inferior. Everything else — like reading scripture, rituals or how we prays — is not for the Creator, but to make us better person, to teach us how to live a happy life with our family, our community and rest of the world.

The core principle applies to each and every one of us without exception. Therefore, there is no need for one to change one’s ways of life. Laws of karma take care of the rest. Sooner or later our deeds and the fruits of our deeds balance each other out. Everyone has right to pray whomever they want. It is ignorance to force anyone and insist on following one prophet over the other or one scripture over the other. There is no need to force on anyone any belief system over the other

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EXPERIENCE LOVE AND FEARLESSNESS

EXPERIENCE LOVE AND FEARLESSNESS :

Instead of conjuring fearful images like, 'What if I fail in the examination?' and thus spending time weakening yourself, use it fruitfully to prepare and pass the examination. Life is a series of examinations; we need to pass them with flying colours. This is a gift we can offer to God. Faith does not crave for miracles. But it often happens miraculously. Faith does not move mountains but gives the power to climb one. Help is just a prayers length away. Good understanding is better than silver or gold. So experience the richness of love and fearlessness.
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SELF AFFIRMATION

“An affirmation is an auto-suggestion in which a thought is deliberately meditated upon to embed it in the mind.” The majority of scientists concludes that self-affirmations have the power to change people’s lives and reiterate what sages have been saying all this while. Science also says that positive self-talk definitely brings about changes in the brain.

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Chowchilla City Council in California to have 1st Hindu invocation in 89 years

Chowchilla City Council in California (USA), incorporated in 1923, will have its first Hindu opening prayer on July 24, containing verses from world's oldest existing scripture.

Acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed will deliver the invocation from ancient Sanskrit scriptures before the City Council. After Sanskrit delivery, he then will read the English translation of the prayer. Sanskrit is considered a sacred language in Hinduism and root language of Indo-European languages

more.............

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hinduism is not just a faith

Hinduism is not just a faith. It is the union of reason and intuition that can not be defined but is only to be experienced. Evil and error are not ultimate. There is no Hell, for that means there is a place where God is not, and there are sins which exceed his love.

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Why do we worship cows?

Why do we worship cows?

The worship of cows in Hinduism is practical application of two fundamental beliefs of Hinduism. The first is the reverance of all life as God. My guru used to make us practice 'seeing God in all beings and things.' He taught us to regard all of life: humans, animals, plants and the elements as divine manifestations. The worship of the cow is an expression of this reverance of all life as divine. 

The second belief is the importance of ahimsa or the practice of non-violence as the cardinal virtue of spiritual living. Vegetarianism which is an extension of the practice of ahimsa is part of the application of this belief. In this regard the cow represents the animal kingdom.

The question though is why the cow and not another animal? Indeed the worship of the cow is symbolic. The reason the cow was chosen above other animals is mainly out of convenience and the ease with which we can express reverance to it.

The cow is a gentle and easily tamed animal. It is also an animal that is an important provider for the human race. I am of course referring to the milk the cow gives (not the meat!) and its role in the economic activity of rural farming and transportation. One cannot underestimate the role of the cow in life and economics not only of the past but also in present times. Indeed, when we ponder on the importance of the cow in human civilization it is easy to surmise that this animal holds a unique and important role compared to other animals. There is a saying in India that while a mother produces milk for her child only for the first few years of life, Gomatha (mother cow) can provide milk for humans all throughout their life (lactose intolerance not withstanding!). Thus the cow is easily the most suitable creature for the symbolic worship to revere all manifestations of life.

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When I say good morning I mean to say:

When I say good morning I mean to say:

G-od
O-ffers us His
O-utstanding
... D-evotion to

M-ake us
O-bedient &
R-eady for a
N-ew day with Him.
I-nspire others please, and
N-ever forget
G-od loves you!

If you like it send it to others. God will bless you for doing just that!!!

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If there’s light in the soul
There’ll be beauty in the person.


If there’s beauty in the person
There’ll be harmony in the house.


If there’s harmony in the house
There will be order in the nation.


If there’s order in the nation
There’ll be peace in the world.

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Our Attitude in Life

Our Attitude in Life:

Control of attitude is most important, for it finally decides the quality of our life, and ultimately makes us the kind of person that we are. Control over our attitude is really the Key. Cause once we realize that it’s our attitude about life, about circumstances, about problems, that determines how happy and content we are, and that WE CAN CONTROL OUR ATTITUDE, then we no longer have to worry about all those things we can’t control. If, when something goes ‘wrong’ in our lives, instead of feeling self-pity, frustration or anger, we remind ourselves that we are mentally, spiritually and emotionally strong and that we have survived hard times before, we will not only survive but thrive. Control of attitude is a matter of first adjusting the attitude to make it creative, and then occasionally checking up to see that it remains that way.


“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” ~Winston Churchill

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AWARENESS AND FREEDOM :

AWARENESS AND FREEDOM :
Mind is a prison. Awareness is getting out of the prison — or realising it has never been in the prison; it was just thinking that it was in the prison. All fears disappear. I am also living in the same world, but I have never felt for a single moment any fear because nothing can be taken away from me. I can be killed but I will be seeing it happening, so what is being killed is not me, is not my awareness.The greatest discovery in life, the most precious treasure, is of awareness. Without it, you will be in darkness, full of fears. And you will go on creating new fears; there is no end to it.You will live in fear, you will die in fear, and you will never be able to taste something of freedom. And it was all the time your potential; any moment you could have claimed it, but you never claimed it.

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Do we believe in reincarnation?

Do we believe in reincarnation?

Yes, reincarnation is one of the....... core beliefs of Hinduism. Reincarnation is closely tied to the Law of Karma. In this life process of being born again, what continues life is our soul. Our soul is the part within us that is immortal. The soul is indestructible. It is not affected by the disease nor death of the body. The soul or..... atma is the most spiritual part of us. It is our primal identity that God created directly out of Himself. Whereas our body came through our parents our soul came out of God. Thus all souls are children of God.

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HINDUISM NEEDS A NEW AND FRESH UNDERSTANDING

Hinduism known as Sanatana Dharma is the the planet's earliest religion, with a billion followers, which makes it the world's third biggest religion. Hinduism is a complex yet simple web of religious, philosophical, and cultural ideas and practices that originated in bharat India, indicated by the belief in reincarnation, one absolute being of multiple manifestations, the nature's law of cause and effect, pursuing the path of righteousness, and the want for liberation (moksha) from the cycle of births and deaths. It believes in the law of one supreme being manifested in multiple visible and invisible forms.

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What is Hinduism?

What is Hinduism?
Hinduism known as Sanatana Dharma is the the planet's earliest religion, with a billion followers, which makes it the world's third biggest religion. Hinduism is a complex yet simple web of religious, philosophical, and cultural ideas and practices that originated in bharat India, indicated by the belief in reincarnation, one absolute being of multiple manifestations, the nature's law of cause and effect, pursuing the path of righteousness, and the want for liberation (moksha) from the cycle of births and deaths. It believes in the law of one supreme being manifested in multiple visible and invisible forms.

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