Blog - Rajiv Sharma

What is Hinduism?

Rajiv Sharma — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 10:43:58 GMT

It is the true culture of Indians in India. Many call it "A way of life." It is not an organized religion. It has no founder. It has no hierarchy. It has a lot of scriptures. In Hindu scriptures, you are actually studying about the history and culture of India.

Hinduism and Judaism are mothers of all modern religions in the world. Buddhism, Sikhism and to some extent Jainism and Zoroastrianism came from Hinduism. Of course, Jainism existed during Rig Vedic Period. Statues of Rishabha, the first Thirthankara and founder of Jainism was found in the Mohenjadaro, Harappa excavations.

Hinduism cannot be destroyed, even if we burn every Hindu scripture and kill every Hindu theologian on earth. Hinduism or Hindu Culture is a very dynamic living, breathing Reality. Strength of Hinduism lies in its most amazing ability to adapt to different circumstances and different ages while maintaining its very strong continuity with the past. How does it do that? That is a billion dollar question.

Who is the founder of Hinduism?

No body in particular. It is the research output of countless learned men called Rishis who were Christ like masters, through centuries.

Who is a Hindu?

I believe anyone who search after truth is a Hindu. There is One and only God and One Truth. The very first book of Hindus named Rig Veda proclaim, "Ekam Sat, Viprah Bahudha Vadanti". (There is only one truth, only men describe it in different ways). There are about 800 million Hindus in the world. There are more than 800,000 Hindus in the U.S., and about 160,000 in Canada.

What Attracts One to Hinduism?

The concepts of utmost freedom of thoughts and actions. That's what attracts many to Hinduism. Hinduism never forbids any one to question its fundamentals. On one side, in Hinduism, you may come across people worshiping pests like rats, and still on other side you will come across concepts parallel to Quantum Physics and Neil's Bohr Theory of nuclear structure and reactions. On one side Advaita (There is only one) philosophy is discussed and promoted, still on other side Dvaita (Two – duality) philosophy is discussed and promoted. Hinduism never ever banished any one, since he or she wrote a wrong scripture or did not observe a particular ritual.

There was never a Salman Rushdie (author of Satanic Verses) in Hinduism and never will be there one. Mahatma Gandhi wrote, even atheists can call themselves as Hindus. That is very true. In fact the Charvaka philosophy or Nastika philosophy, (existed during the Vedic period) founded by Charvaka rejected the existence of God and considered religion as an aberration. Voltaire in Essay on Tolerance wrote: "I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death, your right to say it." Hinduism is the symbol of what Voltaire wrote.

When did Hinduism Take Birth?

Nobody knows. If you go by Hindu mythological stories, Hinduism is trillions of years old. If you go by Max Muller, the German philosopher, it is at least 8000 to 9000 years old. Hinduism might have started as Dravidian civilization and later merged with Aryan civilization. Of course, my friend David Frawley has written a wonderful book, explaining that Aryan Invasion of India never happened and it is a myth.

However studying the relics of Mohenjadaro and Harappa excavations, I conclude, relics of the Indus civilization shows merging of many cultures and concepts. The Indus Valley was home to the largest of the four ancient urban civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, India and China. Harappa and Mohenjodaro were cities in the Indus Valley civilization that flourished around 2,500 B.C. in the western part of South Asia. The roots of Hinduism can be traced to this civilization. The language spoken here is believed to be from Dravidian family, which includes Tamil.

Hinduism has the strange capability to absorb and grow from all quarters and that is why in it you can see relics of all other civilizations like Egyptian, Celtic, Mayan, Greek, Roman etc. To me it does not matter the exact date it was born, since nobody can prove or disprove the exact date. I am more concerned about what it has to give to the world.

What was the original name of Hinduism?

Sanatana Dharma or Righteousness Forever was the original name of Hinduism. It was Persians who invaded India during 6th century B.C. who gave the name Hinduism meaning the religion of people living near the Indus river. In Persian the letter H and S are pronounced almost the same so they mistook the word Sindhu (Sanskrit name for Indus) to H and then started calling Hindus and Hinduism.

What is the language in which the Hindu scriptures were written?

Sanskrit older than Hebrew and Latin. The first words in English language came from Sanskrit. The word mother came from Sanskrit word mata and father came from Sanskrit word pita as per the PBS video "The Story of English". Believe it or not the word geometry came from a Sanskrit word named Gyaamiti meaning 'measuring the earth'. The word trigonometry came from the word Trikonamiti meaning 'measuring triangular forms'. Sanskrit, which literally means "cultured or refined" was the classical language of India and is the oldest and the most systematic language in the world. Forbes Magazine, (July, 1987) wrote: "Sanskrit is the mother of all the European languages and is the most suitable language for the computer software."

How was Hinduism Started?

According to Hindu scriptures it started as Shruti – that which is heard. The great seers of ancient times called Rishis who had perfected themselves have heard in their hearts, eternal truths and they taught those truths to disciples by telepathy and later they wrote them in books. Vedas and Upanishads are known as Shruti literature rest is called Smriti – that which is remembered – literature.

All Hindu scriptures were considered as revealed truths of God. In fact Hindu scriptures say that all Hindu Scriptures were written by God. According Christian theologians Holy Bible is considered to be Holy Spirit inspired book. According to Mimamsa school of thought, all Shruti literature existed all through eternity in the form of sounds. Therefore those sounds of words of Vedas and Upanishads are very important to Hindus.

Blog Posted on: Thursday, October 25, 2007 at 10:43-AM

Sacred Books of Hinduism

Rajiv Sharma — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 10:53:53 GMT

The very first sacred books of Hinduism are called Vedas. Vedas means knowledge. There are four Vedas and they claim to teach men the highest aspects of truths which can lead them to God. Vedas and Upanishads are Shruti scriptures. The word Veda came from the root word "vid" meaning "to know". Vedas are the very first scriptures of Hinduism. Vedas as per scriptures was written by God. Vedas state "Self Ralization" is one and the goal of human life. Vedas also discuss in detail rituals and ceremonies to attain self-realization. There are 4 Vedas. They are:

Rig Veda – Knowledge of Hymns – 10589 verses

The Hindu Rig Veda is the foremost book of Hindus. It is the oldest book in the world. Nobody knows when Rig Veda was written. According to Bal Gangadhar Tilak it was written in 5000 BC. German philosopher Max Muller dates 1500 BC. According to some it took centuries to write this book from 1500 B.C. to 500 B.C. Rig Veda is older than Gilgamesh (2500 B.C) and the Old Testament.

The very first Veda, Rig Veda very clearly shows that it was written, when nomad man first settled down on the banks of rivers like Ganges, Brahmaputra, Indus etc. That is the reason why, in Rig Veda, you see, people are worshiping natural powers like lighting, rain, Sun, fire (Agni); water; air, that effects cultivation. It consists of 1028 hymns, comprising of 10,589 verses in 10 chapters known as Mandalas. 33 gods are worshiped in Rig Veda. There are 100 hymns addressed to Soma; 250 addressed to Indra; 200 hymns addressed to Agni; Many addressed to Surya. Few addressed to Ushas, Aditi, Saraswati, Varuna and Asvins. Lord Vishnu is a minor god in Rig Veda.

One of the most important statement came from the Rig Veda is "Ekam Sat, Viprah Bahudha Vadanti" –meaning "Truth is one but men describe it differently". Lord Vishnu has minor importance in Rig Veda. Name of Lord Siva is mentioned as Rudra. Soma in Rig Veda is intoxicating drink to gods. The word Sura came those who drink an intoxicating drink which I think is Soma. The word Asura came from those who do not drink that drink. Another word that caught my attention in Rig Veda is the word Rta which means some kind of cosmic order. I think the word Dharma originated from the word Rta.

One of the most prominent hymns of Rig Veda "Purusa-Sukta – Purusha (man) and the Primordial sacrifice of Purusha for the betterment of man and the world". Another one is "Creation Hymn.

Caste system started in Rig Vedic period. The Rig Vedic Hymn, known as Purusha-Sukta (Mandala-x, 19th hymn, 12th verse) states: "The Brahmin was Purusha's (cosmic man - the first principle of Sankhya Philosophy in Hinduism) mouth, the Kshatriya his arms, the Vaisya his thighs and Shudra his feet.

Yajur Veda – Knowledge of Liturgy – 3988 verses

Yajur Veda deals with knowledge of rites. This Veda is based on Rig Veda. It contains rules and regulations explaining how to conduct rituals. It consists of prose as well verse. This Veda is indeed a priestly handbook, even describing the details of how to make an alter. Sacrifice is one of the most important aspect of this Veda.

Sama Veda – Knowledge of Music – 1549 verses

Sama Veda deals with the knowledge of chants. Sama means "melody". The classical Indian music originated from this Veda. This Veda is also based on Rig Veda. Verses from this Veda is sung when "Soma Sacrifice" is performed. Sama Veda is similar to Psalms in Christianity. To some extent much of this Veda is a repetition of the Rig Veda sung in melodious format. Invocations of this Veda is addressed to Soma (moon or the narcotic drink Soma); Agni (fire); Indra (god of heaven). One of the Upanishads that came out of this Veda is Chandogya Upanishad.

Atharva Veda – Knowledge given by Sage Athrvana – 6000 Verses

Atharva Veda contains the knowledge given by sage Athrvana. Some state that sage Athrvana did not formulate this Veda but was the chief priest in the ceremonies associated with it. Atharvana who is mentioned in the Rig Veda was considered as the eldest son of Lord Brahma (God of creation). Atharva Veda is also known as Brahma Veda, because it is still used as a manual by Hindu priests and Brahmins. Ayurveda is a part of Atharva Veda.

A large number of Upanishads came from Atharva Veda. Belief it or not, much of Hindu exorcism of devils came from this Veda. At the same time, the oldest records on Veda do not talk about this Veda. There is absolutely no reference about this Veda in the Chandogya Upanishad or in the Brahmana tests or in the Jatakas or in the Bhagavad Gita. That very clearly shows Atharva Veda was non-existent when other 3 Vedas were composed.

Ayurveda

Ayurveda – The Hindu Medicine Scripture – consists of more than 100,000 verses initially. Still it is considered as a upa Veda of Atharva Veda.

More Books of Hinduism

Samhitas – basic texts for hymns to deities, formulas and chants. The Sanskrit word Samhita means "put together".

Brahmanas – description as well as directions for performance of rituals. The word originated from the word Brahmins. Brahmins are the original Hindu priests and they follow Brahmans to conduct rituals.

Aryanakasb – contain Mantras and interpretations of rituals. This book also known as "the forest books" since book is used by saints who meditate in the forests.

Upanishads – texts revealing ultimate truths by different saints. Upanishads teach men that there is One and Only thing and that is BRAHMAN. You and I are just reflections of Brahman. Or we are indeed God... Upanishads teach us "Tat Tvam Asi" – That Thou Art. In fact, the word Upanishad can be broken down as upa (near) ni (down) shad (sit) meaning that teachings of Upanishads were conveyed from masters to students when students sat very next to masters and nobody overheard those teachings.

There are a total of 108 Upanishads. Principle ones 13. Some of the Upanishads are named after the sages who answered all questions. Some as per the first word in the Upanishad.

1. Isa Upanishad, 2. Kena Upanishad, 3. Katha Unpanishad, 4. Prasna Upanishad, 5. Mundaka Upanishad, 6. Mandukya Upanishad, 7. Aitareya Upanishad, 8. Taittirya Upanishad, 9. Chandogya Upanishad, 10. Brihad-Aranyaka Upanishad, 11. Kaushitaki Upanishad, 12. Shvetashvatara Upanishad, 13. Maitri Upanishad.

Smriti Literature consists of large number of books.

Vedangas – scriptures attached to Vedas.

1. Dharma Sutras – Codes of Manu, Yatnyavalkya etc
2. Jyotisha – Astrology and Astronomy
3. Kalpa – rituals and legal matters
4. Siksha – phonetics
5. Chhandas – measurements
6. Nirukta – Etymology
7. Vyakarana – Sanskrit grammar

Upa Vedas

1. Ayurveda – Hindu science of health and longevity
2. Dharnur Veda – Hindu science of archery and war
3. Gandharva Veda – Hindu science of Music
4. Artha Shastra – Hindu science of governing by Kings

Darsanans – Hindu Jnana Yoga – Path of Knowledge

1. Nyasa – Sage Gautama wrote Nyaya sutras
2. Vaisheshika – Sage Kanada wrote Vaisheshika sutra
3. Samkhya – Sage Kapila - Gita starts with this philosophy
4. Yoga – Sage Patanjali wrote Patanjali Yogasutra
5. Mimamsa – Sage Jaimini wrote Mimamsa Sutra
6. Vedanta – Sage Veda Vyasa

Vedanta (At the End of the Vedas) meaning it started at the end of Vedic age, has two parts : 1. Advaita Philosophy - One Only - great exponent Adi Sankara and 2. Dvaita Philosophy - Two - almost all Vaishnava Saints.

Itihasas or Epics : Mythological Scriptures

Ramayana – story of Rama, written by Valmiki. Ramayana is the story of Rama and princess Sita. Valmiki wrote the whole Ramayana as the narration of a crying dove (who just lost her lover to a hunter's wicked arrow) to him. This beautiful poem consists of 24,000 couplets. Lord Rama is one of the avatars of Lord Vishnu and Ramayana is a story which projects Hindu ideals of life. There are many versions of Ramayana. The Hindi version was written by sage Tulsi Das The Malayalam version (Kerala state) was written by Thuncheth Ezuthachan. The original text was written in very stylish Sanskrit language

Mahabharata – story of Pandvas and Kauravas 220,000 verses, 18 chapters Bhagavad Gita is part of this scripture. It is lengthier than Homer's ODYSSEY. It consists of episodes, dialogues, stories, discourses and sermons. It contains 110,000 couplets or 220,000 lines in 18 Parvas or sections or chapters.

Apart from 18 parvas there is a section of poems in the form of an appendix with 16,375 verses which is known as Harivamsa Parva. So in total there are 19 Parvas, even though many saints do not consider the last Parva as an important parva. The Bhagavad Gita is part and parcel of Mahabharata.

Bhagavad Gita

Bhagavad Gita is a part of the epic Mahabharata, appearing in the middle of the great epic. Many consider Bhagavad Gita as the most important scripture of Hindus. If the entire Upanishads can be considered as cows, then the Bhagavad Gita can be considered as milk. It is the essence of the Vedas.

Bhagavad Gita consists of 18 chapters and 700 verses. It deals with all type of Yogas, means of self-realization. It is in the form of a very lively conversation between the warrior-prince Arjuna and his friend and charioteer Lord Krishna, at the outset of the great Mahabharata war, in the middle of the battle field. Just before the beginning of the war, Arjuna refused to fight, when he found he had to kill thousands of his own kinsmen to be victorious in the war. Lord Krishna advised him on a very large variety of subjects in a question and answer format. At the end, Arjuna took Lord Krishna's advice and fought and won a very fierce war. Gita has an answer to every problem a man may face in his life. It never commands anyone what to do; Instead it discusses pros and cons of every action and thought. Throughout Gita you will not come across any line starting or ending with Thou Shalt Not. That is the reason why Gita is the darling of millions of seekers of truth throughout the world.

Versions of Gita

The very first English translation of Gita was done by Charles Wilkins in 1785, with an introduction by Warren Hastings, the British Governor General of India. One of the most popular translation was done by Sir Edwin Arnold, under the title The Song Celestial. There are many translations of the Gita and one of most descriptive translation on Gita was done by Swami Sri Prapupada of International Krishna consciousness. Almost all saints in India have published their versions of the Bhagavad Gita. Recently the Self Realization Fellowship, California have published an excellent translation of the Bhagavad Gita. Most intellectuals in the world go through Gita at least once in their life time. Aldous Huxley wrote: The Bhagavad Gita is perhaps the most systematic scriptural statement of the perennial philosophy" in his introduction of the The Song of the God by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood. Gita won the interest and admiration of great intellectuals such as Von Humboldt of Germany and Emerson of America. It has influenced thinkers like Hagel and Schopenhauer.

Father of Atom Bomb and Bhagavad Gita

Robert Oppenheimer, the very first Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission and father of Atom bomb was a great admirer of the Bhagavad Gita. He learnt Sanskrit during Manhattan Project to understand the true meaning of Gita. He really shocked the world, when he quoted a couplet from Gita (Chapter 11:12) after witnessing the first Atomic Explosion in the state of New Mexico. Later when he addressed congress regarding Atom Bomb he said Atom Bomb remind him of Lord Krishna who said in the Bhagavad Gita, "I am death devourer of all".

Puranas –18 are most important

Mahabhagavatam is the most read important scripture of ISKCON (Hare Krishan). Puranas are religious stories which expound truths. Just like the parables told by Jesus Christ, these stories are told to common folk to make them understand the higher truths of life. According to Jesus Christ "Mysteries of the universe are revealed to those who are spiritually awake, but to others those mysteries have to be explained in parables". On that Puranas are called the Vedas of the Common folk, for they present the mysteries through myth and legend. Six puranas addressed to Lord Vishnu are 1-Vishnu Purana 2-Narada Purana 3-Srimad Bhavata Purana 4-Garuda Purna 5-Padma Purana 6-Varaha Purana. Six Puranas --addressed to Lord Siva are 1-Matsya Purana 2-Kurma Purana 3-Linga Purana 4-Vayu Purana 5-Skanda Purana 6-Agni Purana. SIX Puranas addressed to Lord Brahma are 1-Brahma Purana 2-Brahanda Purana 3-Brahma-Vaivasvata Puranaor Brahma-Vaivarta Purana 4-Markandeya Purana 5-Bhavishya Purana 6-Vamana Purana . Apart from that we have 22 minor Puranas

Agamas – Sectarian Scriptures

They are a group scriptures worshipping God in particular form and they describe detailed courses of disciple for the devotee. Like Upanishads there are many Agamas. They can be broadly divided into three sets of Agamas.

Vaishnava Agamas – worship God as Lord Vishnu
Saiva Agamas – worship God as Lord Siva
Sakti Agamas – worship God as Mother Goddess.

Believe it or not there is no Agamas for Lord Brahma (God of creation). Saivates have 28 Agamas and 108 Upa Agamas (minor agamas). Saktiates recoganizes 77 agamas. I am not sure about the actual number of the Vaishna Agamas. Vaishanavates consider Pancha Ratra Agamas as one of the most important agamas. Each Agama consists of Philosophy, mental discipline, Rules for constructing temples and Religious practices.

Tantras

Started during Vedic age, Tantras consists of cosmology, erotic exercises etc. Tantra is very important and very vast. Sanskrit word Tantras means to expand. Tantrism researched into Astronomy, Astrology, Palmistry, Cosmology. Chakras and Kundalini power etc are the contributions of Tantras to the world. Of course Tantras also states salvation through sex. In any other religion scriptures like Tantra literature will not be tolerated. In Christianity, the first person William Tyndall who translated Holy Bible into English was mercilessly burnt at stake, and copies of his Bible burnt, since church did not like his version of the Holy Bible! That is why I take my hats off to Hinduism.

Charvaka – Hindu Materialism

Just like Tantras, Hinduism tolerated Chrvaka philosophy. Its founder was Charvaka. The most important book was Brihaspati Sutra. I am stating things in past tense since I am not aware if copies of this book are available in India. According to Charvaka, "Material world alone exists and our knowledge comes from sense perception". This philosophy openly propagated that there is no God, the Law of Karma has no basis and that the Vedas were written by clowns. It adds " Enjoy life while you can, for once cremated, you will never return to earth." There are still a lot more scriptures in Hinduism. I should say that there are more than 1000 scriptures in Hinduism.......We will now start discussing about each individual scripture.

Blog Posted on: Thursday, October 25, 2007 at 10:53-AM

Hindu Concept of God

Rajiv Sharma — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 11:12:27 GMT

Hindu Concept of God:

Hindus believe in One and Only God – Brahman which expresses itself in trillions of forms. Hindus do not believe God has human form or any other form. God is nameless and timeless. But there is nothing wrong to worship a God with name and form (nama-roopa), since man cannot conceive anything without any name and form. In fact, in the Shruti scriptures of Hinduism, God or Brahman has been described as Saguna Brahman (God-Brahman with attributes) as well as Nirguna Brahman (God-without attributes. In the Upanishads, God is described as Neti–Neti (not this-not that) method. So first Hindus worshiped 33 natural gods in the Rig Veda. Then Hinduism came to the realization that there is one and only God - Brahman. Just like one and only Sun shines over the mountains of Afghanistan, dry deserts of Saudi Arabia; Penthouse of New York, there is one and only God which is present in the Hindu temple, Christian church, Moslem Mosque, Jewish synagogue, Buddha Vihars and Sikh Gurudwara.

If there is only One God, Why Hindus worship many God forms?

During the time of Upanishads, when the Hindu Rishis (scientists of that day) said there is only One God – Brahman, they found out that laymen could not understand that concept. So they wrote Itihasas (epics) and Puranas [mythological stories] filled with many gods, with the concept that when you worship any God form, you are actually worshiping one and only God Brahman. Lord Krishna reiterated that point by saying, "Call me by what ever name you like; Worship me in any form you like; All that goes to One and Only Supreme Reality." So a Hindu when worshiping any God form is actually worshiping One and Only God Brahman. In Christianity One God expresses himself in three forms, Father, Son and the Holy Ghost.

In Hinduism One God Expresses itself in trillions of forms. That is the reason why Hindus have no problem in calling Jesus and Buddha avatars (incarnations) of God, even though Buddha did not reorganize the authority of Vedas or belief in Brahman.

Believe it or not there is no word Trinity in the entire Holy Bible and it originated only after emperor Constantine became a Christian. He did that to fuse pagan Rome to Christianity. Only mention of Trinity concept of God in the Bible, is in the St. Matthew's account of Christ's last command to the apostles, "Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the son and of the Holy Spirit" [MAT 28:19.] According to Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia the Trinity doctrine was not established until 363 A.D. It says that Trinity is the result of three or four centuries of theological development. The New Catholic Encyclopedia also states that devotion to Trinity had begun in monasteries at Aniane and Tours, during 8th century.

What are the Hindu Moral Codes?

Hindu moral codes are written a collection of books called Dharma Sutras. Hindu moral Codes are the integral part of Hinduism and they come under the big umbrella called Dharma. It is very difficult to translate the word Dharma. Some of the codes are Ahimsa (non-killing), Satya (truth), Dharma (duty), Karuna (compassion), Virya (fortitude), Dama (self-restraint), Saucha (Purity).

What is an Avatar?

An Avatar is an incarnation of God. Whenever God come down to earth in any form then Hindus call that an Avatar. According to that definition, Christ can be considered as an Avatar, even though there is no mention about Jesus Christ in any of the Hindu scriptures.

What is Salvation according to Hinduism?

Hindu salvation is known as Self Realization. In Hindu salvation a person realizes that he is not the body, but the immortal soul (Adman) within. That is the reason why Hindu salvation is known as self realization or "Realizing that he is the Immortal self and not the perishable body. In Hindu salvation the identity of the soul is lost when it attains salvation. Hindu salvation can be compared to a pinch of salt trying to find the bottom of the ocean. The moment the pinch of salt touches the surface of the mighty ocean, it becomes part and parcel of the Ocean. Similarly, when a person seeks after God according to Hinduism, becomes One with God when he attains salvation.

What is the Law of Karma?

Hindus believe in life after death. Every action and every thought has a result. Hindus believe that every thought and every action is weighed on the scale of eternal justice. The law of karma is one of cause and effect. Nobody can escape from the Karmic debt.

Does that mean one has to take millions of lives to achieve salvation?

No, absolutely not. That question is the question many ask. Hindu scriptures, especially the Bhagavad Gita very clearly says that one can attain salvation in one life, provided one surrender his will to the will of God 100%. Lord Krishna said: "Those who surrender all actions to me and regard me as the supreme goal and worship me with whole hearted devotion, will be saved by me from repeated births and deaths." In another verse, Lord Krishna said: "Give up all your righteous and non-righteous actions and come to me; take refuge in me. Then I shall free you from all sins; grieve not." That me who is mentioned is not the Lord Krishna but the absolute soul or God. Krishna is one of the representations of that God. That God can appear in another form like Christ or without any form or name at all.

How can one attain Salvation?

Through four paths

1 Jnana Yoga – Path of Knowledge
2 Karma Yoga – Path of Selfless Actions
3 Bhakti Yoga – Path of Devotion
4 Raja Yoga – Path of Breath Control and Pranayama

Most of all religious devotees of all religions are Bhakti yogies whether they believe in Hinduism or not. Very good Christians go to church everyday and surrender themselves to the deity of Christ are Bhakti Yogis. So too Moslems. Hinduism is the only religion that explains the four paths very well.

What is Aum (Om)?

It is the Hindu word. It is a syllable that stands for absolute. It is uttered in the beginning as well as at the end of all Hindu prayers. To some extent it is the logos of the Holy Bible.

What is Namaste'?

It is the popular Hindu greeting performed by pressing two hands together and holding them near the heart. The whole act communicate to the world 'You and I are one. I salute and worship the God within you, which is a mirror image of myself".

Summary

The greatness of Hinduism can be summerized in few words. "Freedom of Thoughts and Actions." That is what Hinduism stands for.

Blog Posted on: Thursday, October 25, 2007 at 11:12-AM

What are Puranas? Are They Myths?

Rajiv Sharma — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 11:13:14 GMT

According to Webster New Universal dictionary, myth is a traditional story of unknown authorship ,ostensibly with a historical basis but serving usually to explain some phenomenon of nature , the origin of man or the customs , institutions and religious rites of a people. Myths usually involve the exploits of gods and goddesses and kings and heroes.

It is a sort of narrative stories based on belief and affirmation of a religion and is written in a popular language easy to understand and grasp by the common folk and ladies in particular. By the passage of time, myths came to be regarded as false, concocted and distorted stories for the sake of popular gains. and with the intent of entrapping the ignorant and innocent people in ones fold for cheap economic gain and exploitation in the garb of religion. Not that the myths are all without any content of truth , truth they have, yet with the passage of time , space and place, the truth is obliterated and merely part of historical charm and enticement prevails to suit the exploiters. Myths are myths after all and are destined to loose its charm . People come to realize their hollowness. some day.. The moral appeal looses its strength and the very purpose of their formation is lost. It is a fact that the myths also contain some facts, a sort of prescription of some facts of one category; manipulated as well as factual. and can point at the truth so far untold by others in an easy way. Myths build their own world by recurrence of stories and weaving enticing narrations and symbols for all ages and places with logical truth and factual presentation.

Myths are useful in four ways

1. They are original and evoke awe and gratitude.

2. They present cosmology and describe universe

3. They are supportive of social order of the time and

4. hey are adept in psychologically entrapping the individual in the domain of spirit.

They target the present and combine popularity with amorality and literature with improbable and exaggerated narrations. It becomes difficult to reach the reality behind their statements. They have to be reevaluated or analyzed properly. Socrates was of opinion that myths be eradicated from education as general people cannot distinguish the allegorical sense of the literature and understand the exaggerations.
Generally myths are associated with falsehood as they succeed in subverting the historical truth and result in to the advantage of the exploiters

Puranas

Any ancient text in Sanskrit containing mythological account of ancient times is called Purana. In non- Vedic Sanskrit studies they are considered as Smrits. These Puranas were completed between 400 to 1500 CE There has been no one writer but many at different times of composition.

Vedas were read by the people in olden days. Gargi, a woman had read it. Janshruti, a shudra by birth, had read it under Raikya Muni. Yajur Veda ch. 26-ii states,’ it is the right of all people irrespective of caste, color and sex to read Vedas.’ Gradually materialistic tendencies and greed began to catch hold of society and the priest class became money minded. This led to ritualistic formations of religious ceremonies for earning a handsome amount and indulging in a life of luxury
Ignorance of real religion began to hold the society at the mercy of priests and pundit – ritualists.

The foreign invasions and terror, accompanied with forceful conversion made people dependent on these pundits and their teaching of rituals for the grace of God. The kings and sovereign rulers also went astray and developed ego. They would fight with one another for show of bravery and would like to be heroically praised. This was the time when the kings and the priests combined in their efforts to keep the people under their grip and fold. The kings wanted popularity as heroes and the pundits’ monetary gains. The Sutas or court charanas were engaged to reach the people and serve as mediators. Every court had an account of its dynasty of kings and deeds, As chroniclers, Sutas gathered their Itivrat or history. Sages wrote down traditionally collected stories as told by Sutas Very often they were full of exaggerations and distortion in praise of their patron kings. The sages included religious versions also and thus the written work was called Purana. The sages wished these books be considered on par with the old religious scriptures and they tried best to reach the goal by linking them to old writers of renown and ancient events of popular likings.

The Nature of Puranas

Puranas can be divided into two categories

· Mahapuranas and

· Upa Puranas.

Both the categories have 18 puranas each.

Mahapuranas can further be divided into three types.

1. Brahma

2. Vishnu and

3. Shiva

In the first category, the Rajas guna prevails and in the second Sattvik guna where as in the third Tamas prevails.

The Purana with Rajas quality are

1. Brahma Purana

2. Brahmand Purana

3. Brahma Vaivrata Purana

4. Markandeya Purana

5. Bhavishya Purana and

6. Vamana Purana

Sattva Guna dominated Puranas are

1. Vishnu Purana

2. Srimad Bhagavat Purana

3. Narad Purana

4. Garuna Purana

5. Padam Purana and

6. Varaha Purana

Tamoguna prevailing Puranas are

1. Shiva Purana

2. Linga Purana

3. Skanda Purana

4. Agni Purana

5. Matsa Purana and

6. Kurma Purana

There are many other Puranas of very recent origin as well.

Subject matter of the Purans

The Purana treats chiefly of the creation and destruction; renovation of worlds, the genealogy and deeds of gods and goddesses along with heroes and kings and lineage of Manu etc. We find that the Puranas deal systematically with the five subjects

1. The Creation ;

2. Genealogy of gods and rsis;

3. Manavantars or reigns of Manus; as each Manu rules over an aeon , each of which is shorter than the preceding ones ;

4. Pratisarga or history of humanity, destruction and construction;

5. Vansanucarit or history of Solar and Lunar dynasty

Among these Puranas, Bhagvata Purana and Vayu Purana are said to be of great value Vishnu as Krsna is the central deity of the text in Bhagavata Purana. It has become so popular that it has been translated in almost all the Indian languages. Many religious movements especially of Caitanya and Vallabha made it their scriptural authority. It became a complex work as it fuses many different traditions. It uses highly sophisticated lyrical meters and descriptions, mostly in songs. Thus it provides intense flow of emotions aiming at ecstasy. It derives its metaphysical frame from Advaita tradition but modifies it chiefly to bear out Vishnu and Krsna cult.
Vishnu Purana is total Vaishnava in theory. Out of 18 Puranas, unlike others, it was completed towards the end of 4th century. It is a unified and clearly structured composition which is consistent in its viewpoint of theological description. It describes Vishnu as Brahman, Omnipotent and Omnipresent. Vishnu is in the center of all things, animate and inanimate. Vedas and Varnashram are subjects dealt with chronology of kings and heroes. Future destruction of world and its re-absorption into Vishnu and Vishnu as Krishna has also been described. It happens to be the first Purana that was translated into English in 1840.

The Manipulations

We find that Puranas describe not only the dynasty but also the major events of the times and cosmology. Even reference to deluge and earthquakes of the past are there in included. Cautious study of Purana can give us much valuable information’s of our past.

Puranas were written with the intention that the work should persist as Vedas. It was made a chronicle account of the past. In order that it survives the ravages of time, the Purana writers adopted a novel way of putting religion into its structure. With religious temper, it was sure to find a permanent place. The sage-writers of Puranas treated the information given by the Sutras and colored it with religious tinge and information cleverly but they could not understand that such temper is based on logic whereas source of religion is spiritual. Thus much of the coloring remained ineffective. The sage writers took all the precautions. The account as told by the Sutas was not taken in a matter of fact way but was twisted to suit religious bend of mind and seem believable. to ignorant people and the women folk. It was mixed with exaggeration and super natural elements in the name of Divine play as it looked appealing, charmingly enticing and engaging. The writers went to the extreme of saying that the Purana s are as old as the Vedas and have been mentioned in the ancient scriptures as they were in fact written by Vyasa, the famous composer of Vedas and other scriptures.

To establish that the Puranas are authoritative books on par with Vedas, these writers in self interest went to the extent of declaring that Vyasa is the author of all these 18 Puranas. They also tried to make the reading of Puranas mandatory during Puja and rituals by quoting the Mahabharata that these 18 Puranas which are in harmony with the Vedas be read while offering oblations to manes and hear stories of Puranas for salvation. The fact is otherwise.

Vyasa wrote commentary on Yoga Shastra and Vedanta Shastra. They are as appealing and reasonable as to influence any thoughtful person into scientific understanding. A person of his standing can never go so low as to write such unscientific stories and events for public consumption.

Very few people know that the Puranas as mentioned in the ancient scriptures are not those written about the 6th oto10th century, by pundits and Sutas. Swami Dayanand says that the term Purana is referred in the Brahmanas and Sutra books. as Itihaas, Puranas, Kalpa, Gatha. and Narashansi. The Itihaas record events as discussion between King Janaka and sage Yajnavalkya. Puranas of those days describe cosmology, Kalpa, power of Vedic words, Gathas, narrative stories to illustrate truth; Narashansi, describe the chronicles of human acts. and deeds. This has nothing to do with those recently written 18 Puranas. (For detail see Swami Dayanand : Light of Truth). We have to understand that even before Vyasa, his father Parashar, Grandfather Shakti, great grand father Vashista, and other sages had read Vedas – all the four Vedas.

Utility of Puranas

A close study of these 18 Puranas is bound to reveal that they do serve the cause of religion in the sense that they combine the illiterate and ignorant class and woman folk by creating interest in religion through tales and various sort of narrations, easy and exaggerated. They do not at all picture the real Hindu religion as revealed in the Vedas and is possible only by the higher studies. Yet they serve a purpose in a limited sense. They have to be studied with caution and with a logical mind other wise one may possibly end in grip of false priests and pundit- ritualists for money and useless ceremonies.

A Critical Approach

The recent Puranas are not without fault and wrong information purposely inserted therein by the priests for economic exploitation. and dominance. In Siva Purana, Siva has been described as Lord of all; Usha, Brahman, Ganesh, Indra and Surya are spoken as servants. Vishnu Purana holds Vishnu on highest pedestal and Shiva and other Gods as servants. For Devi Purana , Devi is Supreme and others totally subordinate; In this way, Shiva Purana describes Siva; Vishnu Purana, Vishnu ; Devi Purana, Devi; Ganesh Purana, Ganesh; Surya, Surya; Vayu, Vayu; etc as author of creation and destruction of universe, but each of them consider the other as created ones, how then a devotee can understand who is the First Cause? Similarly cosmology has also been described differently by these Puranas.

The confusion created by these Puranas brought disintegration of Hinduism. They praised their own God as the Supreme and the people forgetting that all these gods are one and the same with different names, began to fight for their Lord, claiming their supremacy over others. Thus the sects began to dominate and the pundits gained influence and a wider committed circle of devotees to their financial benefit and authority. It was Adi Sancaracharya who revived the religion and put a stop to Saiva, Vaishnava and shaktas fights towards disintegration. The sect life could be controlled and integrated into a wider circle of allinclusive Hinduism on the sound principle of Solidarity in Diversity.

Mark some important inconsistencies in the popular Bhagwat Purana. In the second chapter Narayan blesses Brahma and says, ’Thou shalt never be a victim to infatuation, either during creation or dissolution.” We find in the tenth chapter that Brahma through infatuation steals calves. The one condition has to be false in the Purana, The story of Hiranyakasyap and Hiranyaksha is theology but it has been so spun as to create disbelief. Prahlada is tied hand and foot. He is pushed from mountain top; thrown into a well; a red iron pillar heated into fire and was asked to embrace it; the ants crowded the hot pillar and he was saved unhurt. Man lion appearing from stone; who is going to believe it all in this age of science and reason? The man lion blesses Prahlada and says that 21 of thy generation have been saved. Purana says that Prahlad was the fourth generation from Braham. Brahma begot Kashyap and kashyap, Hiranyakshya who got Hiranyakashyap and Prahlad was his son. How then 21 generations are covered by the blessings in the Purana.

The book especially deals with Krsna earlier part of life and describes his lengthy accounts of love affairs. Radha is the new born character of the poetic fancy and divine love. It causes great confusion as the people can not discriminate between a poetic description for emotional devotion and the real worldly love affairs. Many mischievous pranks of Krsna childhood are given cosmic touch and importance which arises question marks and doubts, Pundits have claimed that the whole Purana is composed by Vyasa, who wanted to correct himself for not having praised Krsna before. But the bulk of the work is recited by Vyasa’s son Shuka to Parikshita.

So many other points can be quoted to prove that the Puranas are the creation of recent sages and Sutas who had only the interest of earning money through religion. To some extent they succeeded in portraying religion to ignorant people of the society and keeping them in the fold while they tried to impart Vedic authority on the Puranas by linking it to Vyasa.

There are various Purana that wrongly and knowingly paint religion in self-interest. When priests became licentious and meat-eaters, drunkards, it became their duty to save themselves by giving it a religious sanction. They created Tamas Puranas to give vent to all sort of low-grade feelings and justify their actions in the name of religion. They started by the words as Siva said, Parvati said, Bhairava said etc. Kali Tanta crosses the limit and declares that.’Madya (Wine), Mansa (Meat), Meena (Fish), Mudra (cakes) and Maithun (Copulation) are the five, beginning with letter M, that be followed in life as they lead to salvation. They even call Vedas and Shastras as baseless and harlots and advocate sex with any woman save mother. Less said the better. They plead that there is no turpitude in eating flesh, drinking wine, committing adultery because that is the natural way of created beings, without thinking that abstinence brings great reward.

Conclusion

These 18 Puranas have still a valuable place in the life of religious Hindus as they serve to connect us with the past ,which we have forgotten and which needs revival is the light of new age. Puranas afford useful matter. The stories described therein are from the ancient past and can connect us to our glory if we decipher them scientifically and base them on reason and facts without any exaggeration or distortion. Some critics use the term myth to ascribe the sacred stories of religious value. The treatment of myth in the western experience has been negative with regard to their 18th century pre-Christian cultural stories. The term was used for anything that has a negative connotation, a thing which is false, untrue or a lie connected with the primitive age. In fact in the 18th century, the Greek and Roman heritage of pre-Christian stories of religion was so badly distorted and misshaped that they were treated as myth, some thing of negation. It included primitive stories of gods and goddesses; demons; and magic wonders etc. The western scholars portrayed all non-Jew and non-Christian cultural stories as primitive and unworthy of any value so as to be destroyed along with their cultures. On the other hand they chose to place all biblical literature and Christian stories in the category of history, ignoring all previous criterions and establishing new ones to justify the action. So the story of Moses, parting the Red sea came as history, unmindful of any chronological and textual evidence They considered Rama and Ramarajya as myth despite enough archeological and textual evidence. We should know who writes the history and what else the colonial powers can write. We have to guard against this sort of double standard. We should know that the term myth has been used as a very powerful weapon to minimize the Hindu religious literature and sacred stories, and de-legitimize the Hindu way of life and their stories told to ordinary folk of illiterate and ignorant people. It is our duty to scrutinize the Puranas and base them on scientific reasoning so as to revive our link with the ancient culture of Sanatana Dharma.

Blog Posted on: Thursday, October 25, 2007 at 11:13-AM

Nine Reasons Why Lord Rama Endures in our Hearts

Rajiv Sharma — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 11:41:22 GMT

Lord Rama was born on the ninth day of the month of Chitra, hence we celebrate his birthday as a 'Navami'. Indian mathematicians and philosophers see nine as a magical number. Planets in our solar system are also nine, as are the main forms of goddess Durga and the ways of Bhakti – devotion. Let us consider why we celebrate Rama-Navami, by considering nine of Lord Rama's great characteristics / virtues. " Actions speak louder than Words " was Rama's chief motto. He embodied all the virtues by practicing what he preached. More than his divine powers, his glorious heritage or his incredible prowess was his unblemished, untarnished, irreproachable character. His popularity, bravery, courage in face of all adversities, kindness, sense of justice, obedience, intelligence, limitless patience, boundless compassion and steadfast following of duty / "dharma" have endeared him to countless generations of Hindus and non-Hindus alike.

1. Popularity

To lay claim to the title of " Idol / Hero ", one should be popular with the people. Kings and politicians soon loose their popular appeal with loss of power. Popular idol/ hero rules in the hearts and minds of the ordinary people. Rama achieved this by his innate characteristics of charm, kindness, openness, generosity and a real willingness to listen to other's problem. Everyone in Ayodhya felt they could approach Rama with their problems. Rama was known to find swift, realistic and just answers for every one. His aura, charm and charisma made every one relax and feel happy in his presence.

2. Bravery

It is essential for a " Idol / Hero " to be brave. It is not enough to be popular if you can not achieve anything concrete. Rama fought for his people in the battle field as well as the Royal Court of Ayodhya. He stood his ground in all adversities and fought for the cause of righteousness. Being adventurous, Rama took his exile as a great challenge to explore new frontiers. Even in the jungles He fought for the rights of the oppressed. To be brave means to face danger with open eyes. Knowing his enemies strong points as well as the weaknesses, Rama sought to rid the society of those who threatened to undermine it.

3. Kindness

This is one of Rama's major attribute. He taught mankind how to be kind as well as brave. Ravan was brave but had a cruel heart. This eventually corrupted him and made him a villain. Bravery should be tempered by a kind and gentle heart, so that the God given powers of strength are not misused. Power, success, wealth and popularity can easily go to one's head and soon corrupt the good intentions one begins with. Rama never let this happen as his prowess was always tempered by a kind and gentle soul.

4. Justice

Kindness and generosity of heart should not border on to being gullible. Rama's kindness was tempered by his love for justice. He was always just and fair. Seeing where kindness or punishment is due, Rama delivered it accordingly. In his kingdom, every one had the constitutional right to approach the King with their grievance. Always in keeping with the spirit of justice, Rama installed Vali's son on the throne of Kishkindh and Ravan's brother on the throne of Lanka. He never coveted anything that belonged to others and inspired love for justice in his people with his own actions.

5. Obedience

Most famous attribute of Rama was his obedience and loyalty to his parents, guru and the subjects. Rama sought to keep his father's promise and willingly accepted fourteen years of exile. If Rama himself disregarded his King and father's wish, what sort of example would that set for the future generations? To teach obedience, one should practice obedience.

6. Intelligence

Obedience should always be tempered by intellect. Obedience should not be slavish. Dasharath ordered Rama to take the kingdom by force, imprison him and if necessary call on the army to support him. But Rama refused such suggestions. To break an oath / promise is a sin but to suggest covert ways of escaping the oath would be a greater sin. He always obeyed by considering what would be right, proper and good for his people. Rama asked his father, " If a drunk parent or guru should order the child or disciple to cremate them, should such an order be carried out? Of course not. Orders given by a clouded mind can not and should not be obeyed. Sometimes it is far better to obey the spirit of the order than the order it self. "

7. Patience

Intelligent people should be patient in order to earn people's love. Often the intellectuals become impatient with the dull witted. Rama had a great virtue of being gentle and understanding even with the uneducated jungle dwellers. Often the intelligent become angry with people who can't see as far ahead as they can. Rama endured his exile with legendary patience. When he came to the Southern tip of India, He was patient with the Ocean. Rama knew that a single arrow from his bow could achieve his purpose, but He decided to show respect for the Heavenly Gods and waited for their answer. Though capable of building a bridge of arrows, He let the monkeys build a bridge so they too could be satisfied with their war efforts.

8. Universal Love

Rama's love for all creatures great and small helped him win over the hearts of rich and poor, strong and weak, scholars and villagers alike. Rama's love was universal and boundless. Even Ravan, his mortal enemy, received Rama's grace. Vali was also convinced of Rama's love and was liberated from the eternal cycle of birth and rebirth. Rama's gentleness was legendary and so even the uncivilized jungle dwellers came to him with out any apprehensions. Rama's love and compassion make him an ideal for all time.

9. Being Dutiful

Rama was forever aware of his duty - " Dharma ", and followed it unnervingly. All his above characteristics were tempered by desire to follow that which is right. Rama was never blind in his love. Considering duty to be above all else, even life, Rama followed dharma - duty, to the very last. Though he had boundless loved for his wife, He abandoned her for the common moral good of his subjects. Rama followed his duty as a son, brother, husband, prince, king, friend, and father at all times. Regardless of personal cost / grief, Rama sacrificed everything in the pursuit of Dharma, duty.

It is these qualities which have endeared Him to world's multitudes rather than his good looks or great wealth. Physical beauty wanes with time, money is soon spent, fame is soon forgotten but generous deeds, great character and boundless compassion endure for all time. His wish to do good for the people, even at personal suffering endeared him to the people more than elaborate speeches or ceremonies. His personal conduct spoke louder than mere words of philosophy. Such is the glory of his memory that even now people invoke " Rama Rajya " as the ideal, utopian system. It gave a democratic monarchy to the people. A system in which even the most humble may voice their opinion and be noticed. In Rama Rajya there were no criminals or oppressors and no one was ever oppressed. Every one had equal rights, justice was available to all. Taxes were not excessive and every one had work to occupy them. Rama had assured his people peace and plenty because as a King he served his people rather than be served by them. Where a ruler has all of the above characteristics, people can still enjoy Rama Rajya.

It is the ideal of self-less service which has made Rama one of the greatest idol / hero of all time. On Rama-Navami we fast till noon in anticipation of Rama's birth and not as a penance. After his birth at mid-day, people celebrate by dancing and singing auspicious songs. Let us celebrate Rama-Navami by following His ideal standards. By following these in his life, Rama has shown that it is possible to aspire for greatness and " ideal life ".

Blog Posted on: Thursday, October 25, 2007 at 11:41-AM

Hindu Gods, Deities and Spirits

Rajiv Sharma — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 11:52:05 GMT

Gods of the Vedic Period

Much of the meaning of the Rig Veda is imperfectly understood and the meanings of many words have become obsolete for many centuries. However a broad concept of the religion of Rig Veda is clear enough. The chief object of worship is the Deva (Prajapati – father of all gods and humans), who is seen as ‘the bright, shining one’. Prajapati retreated in history and was replaced by many other major gods. The main gods of Vedic period are Indra, Varuna, Surya, Agni, Soma, Rudra and Yama. Indra, the warrior God, was associated with thunder and storm. He rode in a bright chariot with a thunderbolt in his hand as his weapon (akin to Zeus of the Greeks and Thor of the Germans). He is also depicted riding his mount, Iravata the elephant.

Varuna, second only to Indra in importance, was the guardian of the laws of nature. He watched the populace for any misdeeds and assured a moral society. He was ethically the highest Vedic god and was pure and holy. The cosmic order (Rta) was his responsibility. Mitra, an important god connected with vows and covenants is also mentioned in the Zoroastrian pantheon under his Greco-Iranian name Mithras. Surya, the sun god has several other forms and names. Savitur, the stimulator, is mentioned in the holy Gayatri mantra. Pushan another sun god was the protector of the herdsman. Visnhnu, also exhibited solar characteristics and covered the earth in three paces. He would gain prominence much later in Hinduism, and would be retained as the main deity. Agni, the fire god was considered as an intermediary between gods and men for he consumed the sacrifice and carried it to the gods. Soma was originally a plant extract, which made a potent drink. However, later soma was identified with the moon. Rudra was a remote god, dwelling in the mountains. He was an archer and had a fierce character. He could bring disease with his arrows and at the same time was the guardian of healing herbs. Later Hinduism adopted many of his characters in their deity Shiva. Yama, lord of the dead, was also the guardian of the ‘World of the Fathers’, where the blessed dead ancestors feasted in bliss forever. A few goddesses also are mentioned in the Rig Veda. Prthvi was the goddess of the earth. Aditi was the great mother of the gods. Ushas was the goddess of dawn while Ratri was the spirit of the night. Aranyani, a nature goddess was the lady of the forest. None of these goddesses played a major role in the practice of the religion. The prominent gods were exclusively male dominated. Kama the love-god was the Indian version of cupid, a handsome man with bow and arrow in his hands.

Gods of Hinduism

Trimurthy

To an uninformed observer Hinduism may appear chaotic and polytheistic. However, fundamentally Hindus believe in a Universal God and this belief is derived from the Vedic philosophy of the World Soul. The hundreds of gods portrayed are faces of the same single force, the Universal God. This God is all pervasive, omnipotent and omniscient, in the true Vedic sense (sarvantharyami). A Hindu will see the power of God in everything that surrounds him, animate or inanimate. Animals like cows, monkeys or snakes may be considered sacred and even an ordinary stone may hold the power of God. The all-pervasive God is the creator of all matter and everything created by the Universal God represents a part of Him. This may appear as idolatry to a Western observer, whose religion generally condemns it, but a Hindu worships the Spirit that the idol represents rather than the idol itself. It only gives the worshipper a channel or a symbol to concentrate on during his prayers and meditation.

Originally, three major faces of gods came to be popularly worshipped, namely Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

Shiva is almost as popular as Vishnu and is evolved from the fierce Vedic god Rudra. Residing in the Himalayan Mount Kailasa, Shiva is a great ascetic, always meditating for the welfare of the world. He is covered with ashes and from his matted hair flows the sacred river Ganga. He is death and time, which destroy all things. On his forehead is a third eye, an emblem of his superior wisdom. His neck is blue (Neelakantan), from the effects of the poison he drank in order to save the humanity. The bull Nandi is his mount and beside him sits his beautiful wife, Parvathi. Shiva is also the god of fertility and is mostly worshipped in the phallic symbol called Linga. In the South he is also called as Pashuapati (Lord of the Beasts). The Shaivite sect considers Shiva as the Supreme Being.

The protector and maintainer of humanity is Vishnu. He lives in the highest heaven, the Vaikunta. A great eagle (Garuda) is his vehicle and Lakshmi is his wife seated to his right. He is considered as the Universal God (as early as in the Bhagavad Gita). He is also called as Hari (as against Hara, another name for Shiva). Vishnu became an embodiment of many popular gods, namely Vasudeva in Western India and Narayana, an obscure god mentioned in the Brahmana literature of Upanishads. Krishna, the hero of the epic Mahabharata came to be identified as an incarnate (avatar) of Vishnu. Rama, the hero of the epic Ramayana was another major avatar of Vishnu, incarnated in order to rid the world of the demon Ravana. When there is disorder in the world Vishnu will incarnate himself to restore order for the welfare of the world. In all there are ten avatars of Vishnu.

Dashavatra

1. Matsya (The Fish): When the earth was overwhelmed with a universal flood, Vishnu took the form of a fish and saved the first man (Manu), his family and seven sages (rishis) in a boat fastened to a horn on his head. The sacred Vedas were also saved.

2. Kurma (The Tortoise): Vishnu took the form of a tortoise in order to retrieve ambrosia (amritha) from the cosmic flood. This amritha was essential for the gods to preserve their youth. On the back of Kurma the gods placed Mount Mandara and tied the divine snake Vasuki around the mountain. With snake acting as the rope to twirl the mountain, the ocean was churned, whence the ambrosia appeared.

3. Varaha (The Boar): When the demon Hiranyaksha cast the earth into the depths of cosmic ocean, Vishnu adorned the form of a wild boar and slew the demon. Using his tusks, he then raised the earth to safety.

4. Narasimha (The Man-Lion): The demon Hiranyakashipu, obtained a boon from Brahma after intense ascetism (tapas) ensuring that he could not be killed either by day or night, by god, man or beast. He persecuted the gods and men as well as his pious son Prahlada. When the young son called for the Lord’s help, Vishnu burst out of a pillar, in a form half man and half lion at sunset and killed the demon Hiranyakashipu.

5. Vamana (The Dwarf): Here the demon Bali Chakravarthy commences a course of ascetism (tapas) to obtain supernatural powers. When he was a menace to the gods, Vishnu appeared as a dwarf, asking Bali for alms. Bali granted Vamana three paces of ground as requested. Vamana transformed himself into a giant and covered the earth with one step, the heavens with another. Though a demon, Bali was an honorable one and never went back on his word once granted. Seeing that there was no place for the third step, Bali, accepting defeat and to save his honor, knelt in front of god and asked him to place the third step on his own head. He was thus destroyed and the gods were rescued.

6. Parashurama (Rama with the Axe): Born as a son to a Brahmin Jamadagni, Parashurama killed the wicked King Kartavirya who robbed Jamadagni. Kartavirya’s sons later killed Jamadagni, after which an enraged, axe wielding, Parashurama destroyed all the males of the Kshatriya class for twenty-one successive generations. He is also credited to have rescued the lands of Kerala and South Kanara from the sea and reclaimed them. Parashurama is frequently referred to in the literature, but rarely worshipped.

7. Rama, the Prince of Ayodhya: Vishnu incarnated himself as Rama to save the world from the oppressions of demon Ravana, king of Lanka, who also abducted his wife Sita. Rama is a benevolent, brave and a faithful husband. He formed a complete family unit with his faithful wife, Sita and three loyal brothers, Lakshmana, Bharatha and Shatrughna. He also is shown as a loving father to his twin boys Lava and Kusha. The monkey-god Hanumat is his loyal friend and helper. His glorious story is depicted in the epic Ramayana, written by sage Valmiki in a set of seven books.

8. Krishna, the hero of Mahabharatha: Born to Vaudeva and Devaki of the Yadava tribe, he grew up as the foster child of cowherd Nanda and his wife Yashoda. Krishna’s life can be studied in three stages. As a child he performed many miracles, slew demons like Puthani and also played numerous pranks on his doting mother, such as stealing butter from the vessel etc. When confronted by Yashoda and asked to open his mouth she saw the impression of the whole universe in the infant’s mouth. As an adolescent Krishna was seen as a flute-playing cowherd, enticing the village girls to come and dance to the tunes. His favorite was the beautiful Radha. Later Krishna married Rukmini, the daughter of king of Vidarbha and made her his queen. His amorous advances eventually led to 16,000 wives and 180,000 children and grandchildren. Krishna’s greatest manifestation was as a charioteer to Arjuna, one of the Pandava brothers (Kuru Dynasty of Hasthinapura), as depicted in the epic Mahabharata. Here he preached the great sermon of the Bhagavad Gita. Krishna also had an older brother called Balarama (also called Halayudha-meaning armed with a plough), who was also worshipped for sometime in the past. Some consider Balarama as another avatar of Vishnu (later supplanted by Buddha).

9. Buddha: According to most theologians Buddha became god in order to ensure damnation of the wicked by making them deny the sacred Vedas. However Jayadeva’s Gita Govnda states that Vishnu became Buddha out of compassion to animals and to put an end to their bloody sacrifice.

10. Kalki: is the incarnation yet to come. At the end of the present Dark Age, Vishnu will appear on a white horse, with a flaming sword in his hand. He will punish the wicked, reward the good and restore the Golden Age again.

Brahma, the creator of the world came to be worshipped less and less. Durga, the mother Goddess, later replaced Brahma as one of the main deities and many temples were built for her in India.

Shakti and other Pantheon of Gods

Mother Goddess is called by many names. The chief form is that of the wife of Shiva called in her benevolent form, Parvathi (Daughter of the Mountain), Mahadevi (the Great Goddess), Sati (the Virtuous), Gauri (the White One), Annapurna (Giver of Food), or simply as Matha (Mother) or Ammai (Mother in Tamil).

In her grim form she is known as Durga (the Inaccessible), Kali (the Black One), and Chandi (the Fierce). Shakti (the Potent and Powerful) is also considered to be another form of the same Mother Goddess. In her most fierce form Durga or Kali is dancing on the demons with a garland of human skulls, with her blood-dripping tongue protruding. She has a lethal weapon on each of her many arms. Though there are many temples in India devoted to Mother, she is worshipped as the cult figure Kali, mainly in Bengal and Assam today. As she represents power and potency, she is also worshipped in the form of the female genitalia called Yoni. Sati (Durga incarnate) was married to the Lord. When her father Daksha quarreled with her lord she flung herself into his sacrificial fire. The ashes of her yoni fell in various spots in India, which then became sacred shrines to her cult.
Another goddess who had temples built for her is Saraswati. She is the wife of Brahma and is considered to be the patron of art, music and learning. Though there is no creator God mentioned in the Rig Veda, by the end of Rig Vedic period, such a god existed by the name of Prajapati (creator of all gods and men), who later is identified as Brahma of Hindus. While Saraswati has many temples built for her, ironically temples for Brahma, her husband, are very rare in India today (there is one on the lake Pushkara near Ajmer). Bramha is usually depicted as seated on a lotus arising from the navel of recumbent Vishnu, lying on the seven-hooded serpent Shesha.

Broadly six forms of godheads are being worshipped in India currently. Apart from the Vaishnavas’ Vishnu, Shaivites Shiva and Shakta’s Devi there are three more godheads that are adored. Sauras worship Surya, Ganapatyas worship Ganesha and Kaumaryas treat Skanda (Muruga in the Tamil lands), as their godhead. Collectively these six forms of divine worship of Hindus are called as Shanmatas.

However, other gods are worshipped with their own temples and are numerous all over the country. Each god has a special function to perform, be it protection of a certain sect or to bring good luck and wealth to the worshipper. Thus temples were built for Lakshmi. She is the wife of Vishnu and is the goddess of good luck and temporal blessing.

Ganesha (or Ganapati), the second son of Shiva and Parvathi, bore the head of an elephant and is credited with removing snags and obstacles of any venture undertaken. He is worshipped at the beginning of all undertakings. He is called the ‘Remover of Obstacles or Vigneshvara’.

Subramanya, the god of fertility is the other son of Shiva and Parvathi. He is also called as Kartikeya, Kumara, Muruga (in South) or Skanda (in North).

Hanumant, the monkey god is the son of Vayu and a servant of Rama. He is mainly a village god and is a guardian spirit.

Local Gods and Spirits

The countryside has many more local gods and goddesses. Each village has its own goddess or Gramadevata, often in the form of an idol worshipped under a sacred tree. Goddesses were also worshipped as protectors against diseases. Shitala (the Cool) also called as Mariyammai in the Tamil countryside, was prayed to by the mothers to protect their children against smallpox. Snake goddess Manasa protected from snakebites. Naga, a snake-spirit, guarded the underground city of Bhagovati and guarded great treasures. They can take human form and many ancient tribes claim to be descendents of Nagas, especially from a union between human hero and a feminine form of the snake called Nagini. Assam even today has tribes that are called Nagas.

Yakshas were similar to fairies, who generally were friendly to humans especially to men. Gandharvas were male fairies that were seen as heavenly musicians. Some are depicted with human head and the body of horses, called Kinaras and resembled the Greek centaurs. Apsaras were temptresses of ascetics. Menaka seduced sage Vishvamitra and conceived Shakuntala, heroine of Kalidasa’s famous drama. Urvasi was another legendary Apsara beauty. Vidhyadharas are heavenly magicians, residing in the Himalayan magic cities, able to transform themselves at will and also fly through the air. Rishis and Siddhas attained holy status because they were ascetics and composers of the hymns of the Vedas. Some of the famous Rishis are Vashishta, Vishvamitra, Brhaspati, Kashyapa, Agastya and Narada, the inventor of the musical instrument veena.

The evil spirits were the Asuras or demons (Suras were the gods) that constantly fought the gods in heaven. Rakshasas were more of a menace to people on earth. Most famous Rakshasa was Ravana, the ten-headed demon king of Lanka, who died in the hands of Rama. Less terrible were the Pishachas, who also roamed the battlefields and burial grounds at night and distressed men. Betala (Vetala) or the vampire took up its abode in corpses and roamed the charnel grounds. Finally there were the Pretas and Bhutas, naked spirits of dead people, especially those who died an unnatural death. These were very dangerous to their surviving relatives.

Animal and Inanimate Gods

Animals and plants also have attained sacred status. Cow is the most sacred animal, as it is believed to be one of the treasures churned from the cosmic ocean by the gods. The five products of the cow (Panchkavya) namely, milk, curd, butter, urine and dung are believed to have great purifying potency when mixed in a single mixture. Kamadhenu was a mythological cow said to have belonged to Vashishta that could satisfy all desires of mankind. Nandi, the bull is the mount of Shiva and is seen in most Shiva temples. Snake is also sacred and the legendary serpents Shesha, and Vasuki are symbols of both death and fertility. Shesha also is seen as a bed for the recumbent Vishnu while Vasuki was used as a rope used in churning of the cosmic ocean.

Monkey, though not mentioned in the Hindu sacred texts, later is revered perhaps because of Hanumant, Rama’s faithful servant.

Villages also had sacred trees. Pippala or Ashvata (Ficus religiosa) were especially sacred and the sanctity of these later spread to Buddhism. Vata or nyagrodha, the banyan tree (Ficus indica) has also attained religious status. Women pray to the Ashoka tree for blessings in order to conceive children. The legendary Kalpa-vriksha was a tree that fulfilled all wishes. A plant called Tulsi is grown in the courtyard and tended with great care by women and is believed to be sacred to Vishnu. There are two types of grass Kusha and Darbha that are sacred from the Vedic time onwards. However the Soma plant from that period was forgotten. Another inanimate object that attained holy status is the Salagrama (a fossilized shellfish), which is recognized as one of the symbols of Vishnu. Symbols representing Om, Swastika and Mandala were considered to have cosmic and magical powers.

Blog Posted on: Thursday, October 25, 2007 at 11:52-AM

OM/Aum/ – The Sphota

Rajiv Sharma — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 11:55:00 GMT

AUM is the supreme symbol of the Lord
AUM is the whole; AUM affirms, AUM signals,
The chanting of the hymns from the Vedas,
the priest Begins with AUM,
spiritual teachers, and their students
converse with AUM

Tulsidas, the author of Ramcharitmanas says,

”Gira artha jal bichi some kahiyat bhinna Na bhinna.”

i.e. the word and its meaning are mixed and are inseparable like water and wave (Baal Kanda).

Power of word has always been recognized for its positive and negative effects. They can be potentially constructive as also substantially destructive. During Vedic age, words used were merged with potential divinity and had a powerful effect and liberating purpose. It always conveyed something enlightening. in form of mantras.

Word is the outer part and meaning or thought is its inner part. Every word has a meaning or a thought and so every thought finds expression only through word. This is language. Language was never invented by some people at any point of time in any assembly of linguistic nature which decided on words; which particular word to represent which idea or which particular thought. It really took its own time to evolve gradually and quite unconsciously. It has always been difficult to identify a word fixed with a particular thought or meaning. Many words can be used for a particular thought expression. Even with difficult words at different times, over the ages, that very idea, thought or meaning might have been differently identified. This much is true that words contain an idea or thought. No word is possible to exist without such expression and every thought has a word to express it.

Now there is the question of sound (Phonetics). It is not necessary that the word be bound with the same sound ever. Every sound is affected by time and varies among people. Thus we see that the pronunciation and accent may differ and vary but the relationship of a thought with a word remains unaffected and unchanged. Sound is called Sabda in Hindi. Sound is not merely a noise but it has levels of meaning. It is Sphota that comes out from the eternal power of Shakti. It may mean Nada to a poet and the seer, or Anahata (Potential Thought) that is unexpressed. Every Sabda has its own inherent power as we see in the bells drums and in the mantras. Does not the drum of Siva Manifest?

Creation? Sabda Brahman thus comes to be understood as the ultimate sound without any attribute, indicative of realization of Brahman.

It is clear that the word is a symbol for a thing signified. The thing so exists but its symbol may vary through ages and from time to time, without disturbing the relationship with the thing so signified. One may not see that thing but may know it by symbol. The meaning of the word will bring forth what the symbol means or what the thing symbolizes .The frequency and sound is so sequenced as to appeal to the inherent Shakti or potency. The word mantra as divine word was potent enough to heal the ailments, lessen sufferings and grant peace of mind. It was many millennium later the gospel of John said that, “In the beginning was the word and the word was with God. All things were made through Him and without Him was not any thing made that was made” (John 11-4).

The Jews and Islam religions have the names of God with the base of EL or AL , which means one or the All Hebrew book of Genesis gives a word “Elohin “ which signifies, ”The one that is many “. Jesus spoke of God as Aloha in Aramaic, meaning, “One moving through all souls“. In Islam, Allah has both the roots AL and La. Quran says, ”Allah is there, one light that illuminates heaven and earth". For Hindus the word that all the Vedas glorify, all sacred studies and holy life seek – that word is AUM (also written as OM). Chandogya Upanishad (1-2 ) says, ”As earth comes from the water, plants from earth, a man from planets, so man is speech and speech is AUM.. Of all speech, the essence is Rg Veda but same is the essence of Rg Veda and same is the essence of AUM, the Udageeth.”

Swami Chinayananad in Kathopanishad, page 104, writes, ”It is interesting to know that the word AUM is not found in Rg Veda or Atharva Veda but occurs in the Taittareya Samhita of the Yajur Veda. This word is a symbol of primal vibration through which the universe manifests. It is the very first thought of God. It is the power differentiating the oneness into multiplicity. This is the most sacred symbol in Hinduism. It greatly appeared in the Upanishads it is regarded as seed of all mantras, containing all origination and dissolution; it is Pranava (reverberation) and the supreme Aksara (Syllable)".

There is only one God and He alone is the creator of the Universe. So the idea of God remains common in all the religions but they use different words to express Him. There is nothing like a Christian God or an Islamic God or a Hindu God. He is the God of all mankind and of all the creation. All religions have attempted to express the nature of the Supreme Being in a single word and AUM is the very natural symbol of Hindus. Yajur Veda (XI-! 7) says, ”AUM is the great God who is omnipresent like ether.” Chandogya Upanishad says, ”He alone, whose name is Aum, who is immortal, is worthy of our adoration and none other.” Manduk 1-1 says, ”All the Vedas and the shastras declare AUM as the primary and natural name of God. All others are His secondary names.” Kaivalya further goes to say, ”He is called Brahman, the maker of the universe; Vishnu, All pervading; Rudra, the punisher of the wicked; Shiva, blissful and benefactor of all; Akshara, immortal and omnipresent; Swarat, self-effulgent; Kalagni, cause of the dissolution of the world and regulator of Time; Chandrama, the true source of happiness.“ None of the God’s name is meaningless. They are all connotative. It should be clearly understood that AUM is the name of God only and of no other object, material or spiritual. Other names are based on the subject under treatment and the adjective that qualifies. Such as Agni, Virat Kalagni or Rudra, the words that that signify the natural objects of the world also.

We produce a sound by using the larynx or the palate as the sound board. The sound has to be most natural, easy flowing and all inclusive. AUM is such a sound. The first letter is A. It is the root sound. While pronouncing it, no part of tongue or palate is touched. It comes quite naturally. Then at the end of the last sound of series comes the letter M. While pronouncing M, the lips get closed, as the sound comes to close which indicates that there can be no further sound. It is the last one. In between the sound, is the letter U, like a roller, between A and M, rolling from the very first root A to the last one M, which is the end of the sound with mouth closed. Thus from the first go to the last close, there is a natural continuity of sound which represents the whole sound production system. Thus we see that AUM comes as very natural symbol embodying all and every thing.

AUM is an accepted symbol, adopted in practice by religious thoughts in India. The word AUM (AUM) is complete in it and signifies all functions. The Buddhists, the Sikhs and the Jains adopted it in their own ways.

Rg Veda prays, ”Mayest Thou AUM, O God, who art Mitra, friend of all; Varun, holiest of all, and Aryama, controller of the entire universe, be merciful to us. Mayest Thou Indra, O Lord Almighty, Brihaspati, the Lord of the universe, the support of all, endow us with knowledge and power, Mayest Thou Vishnu, O Omnipresent, and Urkrama, omnipotent being; shower thy blessing all around us. AUM.” AUM is uttered in the beginning and conclusion of a prayer. The sacred symbol AUM is a particle implying consent is a manifestation in sound of the Ultimate Reality. It is clear that AUM is made up of three, connected but distinct elements pointing to Brahman, Vishnu and Mahesh in its own ways. AUM imbibes, embodies and signifies each and every aspect and is possessed of a natural sound system and symbolic significance.
Vivekananda says,” Ishvara (God) is the Atman as seen or grasped by the mind. His highest name is AUM --- Repeating AUM continually is the only true worship. It is not a word – It is god Himself. “(Vedanta Voice of Freedom p. 266)

Blog Posted on: Thursday, October 25, 2007 at 11:55-AM

Aarti- Om Jaye Jagdish Hare - The Daily Prayer

Rajiv Sharma — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 11:56:38 GMT

In simple words 'Aarti' means Prayer.

Aarti is the most important ritual performed by the masses of India. This prayer is said to have been penned by Pandit Shradha Ram Phillauri in 1888. The entire prayer is an attempt to praise the glory of the inexpressible God and surrendering oneself to Him. The Aarti can be a very soothing experience. Each person, however, will realize for oneself by listening, singing and contemplating upon this simple but divine prayer.

For my western friends and well wishers, I have reproduced the Aarti below, followed by my understanding about it.

Om Jaye Jagdish Hare
Swami Jaye Jagdish Hare
Bhagt Jano Ke Sankat
Khshan Mein Dur Kare ... Om Jaye Jagdish Hare (1)

Jo Dhaywe Phal Pave
Dukh Vinshe Man Ka
Sukh Sampati Ghar Aave
Kasht Mite Tan Ka ... Om Jaye Jagdish Hare (2)

Maat-Pita Tum Mere
Sharan Gahun Kiskee
Tum Bin Aur Na Duja
Aas Karun Jiskee ... Om Jaye Jagdish Hare (3)

Tum Puran Parmatma
Tum Antaryami
Par-Brahm Parmeshwar
Tum Sabke Swami ... Om Jaye Jagdish Hare (4)

Tum Karuna Ke Saagar
Tum Palankarta
Mein Moorakh Khal Kami, Mein Sewak Tum Swami
Kripa Karo Bharta ... Om Jaye Jagdish Hare (5)

Tum Ho Ek Agochar
Sabke Pran Pati
Kis Vidhi Milun Dayamay
Tumko Mein Kumti ... Om Jaye Jagdish Hare (6)

Deenbandhu Dukh Harta
Thakur Tum Mere
Apne Hath Badao, Apni Sharan Lagao
Dwar Para Tere ... Om Jaye Jagdish Hare (7)

Vishay Vikaar Mitao
Paap Haro Deva
Shradha Bhakti Barao
Santan Ki Sewa ... Om Jaye Jagdish Hare (8)

Tan Man Dhan
Sab Hai Tera
Tera Tujhko Arpan
Kya Lage Mera ... Om Jaye Jagdish Hare (9)

This simply worded prayer produces tremendous vibrations and literally compels a person to become quiet and poised. It can be a very relaxing experience.

I have attempted below to present my understanding of the prayer, followed by my humble interpretation.

Glory be to thy Name (Om)
the Sovereign of the Universe
With thy Grace
the evils of the worshipper vanish instantaneously (1)

This is the prologue of the Aarti. In it is revealed the power of the word "Om".

Om, is perhaps the only word that phonetically and logically signifies the primordial sound. The great masters and saints have for thousands of years contemplated upon this one Word. It has even been said that all the Vedas dissolve into Gayatri and Gayatri itself dissolves into Om. In the Yoga, experiments have been conducted extensively to assess the impact experienced by an aspirant by simply uttering Om in a particular manner or by chanting repeatedly (Simran). It is not a case of hypnotism or auto-suggestion, but an established fact that one's association with the word Om with understanding helps in attaining transcendence.

One can go on and on ....

Om, thus, simply stated is the Word that is unequaled and unrivaled, therefore Supreme. It is perhaps for this reason that almost all Vedic Shlokas (verses) begin with the word Om.

Thus establishing Om as the Supreme One, the prologue of the Aarti asserts that all evils of the worshipper get annihilated instantaneously.

Anyone who Contemplates on thy name is rewarded
Mind's misery gets eliminated
Bliss and prosperity ascends
Body's ailments are cured. (2)

In this verse the worshipper is being motivated to contemplate on the Name. Reward is offered in the form of mental peace and healthy body, both essential ingredients to lead a harmonious life.

It is my understanding that all our mental chaos and ill-health is projection of our own ego. It is due to the neglect or the lack of understanding of our own unique individuality that we find ourselves dragged into comparisons both subjectively and objectively. This chaotic state can turn into order when we learn to accept ourselves the way we are.

Thou art my mother and my father
To who else should I surrender
Except You there is none else
That I may aspire for. (3)

God, the primordial seed, is the Creator. Thus God is both the mother and the father. This being so, I can only beseech You and surrender myself to You. Without God there is nothing, hence my highest aspirations can only be You.

We notice in our daily life that we neglect God and rely upon transient sources for our existence. Resultantly, our lives are chaotic and full of frustrations. However, by realizing that God is the sole Cause, one can understand one's true being.

Thou art the complete One
The all-pervading
Residing Beyond the cosmic limits
Thou art the Sovereign of all. (4)

In the fourth verse of the Aarti, the worshipper is guided to realize that only God is complete. It is like looking at Him in the form of an infinite canvas, without beginning and without end. The understanding of the emphasis on God being the only 'all-pervading' One guides us to treat all creation in reverence. This acceptance only brings about Love and compassion.

Thou art the compassionate Ocean
Thou the sole provider
I am ignorant and trapped by senses
I am the servant and thou the Master
Please liberate me. (5)

The fifth verse glorifies and accepts God as an ocean of compassion and the only provider. The worshipper humbly accepts his state of ignorance and his being entrapped in sensory perceptions. A confession of sort is being made by proclaiming God the Master and the worshipper as the servant to invoke a sense of humility. And in the end the seeker seeks fulfillment which is only possible if one is liberated.

Thou art the unmoving
The Lord of all vital force
What means shall I adopt to meet you
Reveal to me, I earnestly pray. (6)

The sixth verse deals with metaphysics. It seems to be projecting the underlying principle of the Upanishads. To the ancient Hindu sages, Sun seemed to be the only constant or immutable object cognizable by the naked eye. The Upanishads proclaimed that everything revolves around the Sun. Everything has manifested from the Sun. Thus Sun is the source of all life as known to us.

In this verse, the worshipper is cognizing God as the only immutable principle, the source of all creation. This cognition is realization of the worshipper. This proclamation is what Apostle Peter says in the Corinthians, "All that you see and hear is subject to change". Guru Granth Sahib says, "Jo Dise So Chalaan Har..." Shankara said, "Brahm Satyam, Jagat Mithya" ... Verily only God is Truth, all else is perishable.

Having realized that only God is immutable, the worshipper now seeks God's grace so as to be able to understand the technique, through which he can literally be able to "see" that Source.

This verse reveals the curiosity of the worshipper and his yearning to realize the Truth.

Friend of the meek, Annihilator of evils
Thou art my Master
Grant thy grace and take me into your fold
I pray knocking your temple door. (7)

In the seventh verse again the worshipper, accepting God as the supreme Sovereign, seeks Him and pleads for His grace.

Annihilate my sensory traps
Forgive me of my sins
Grant the boon of faith and worship
and desire to serve thy creation. (8)

The eight verse emphasizes the yearning of the worshipper to become compassionate and loving so that he can render service to mankind.

We know that when our actions are performed with a view of rendering service, then even our daily chores become an act of worship.

Body, mind and material wealth
All this belongs to you
My offerings to you are already yours
There is nothing mine. (9)

Since the worshipper accepts God as his Creator, the physical body thus already belongs to Him. Consequently, the mind, which is but a subtle part of the body, cannot be ours. It too belongs to Him. The acquired material wealth is a result of body's actions and mental plans. Since the body and mind do not belong to us, how can then we claim the material wealth to be our possession?

In this verse, it is a concrete admittance of the fact that body, mind and material possessions are all transient and subject to change.

Whatever the worshipper places on the altar of God is in actuality taken from God's own creation. To thus claim that "I" did this or "I" did that becomes redundant.

The entire Aarti revolves around the supremacy of God and educates the worshipper to realize this and surrender oneself to this Truth.

Blog Posted on: Thursday, October 25, 2007 at 11:56-AM

Brahma Hurls, Vishnu Plays, Shiva Terminates

Rajiv Sharma — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 00:56:38 GMT

The Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva symbolize the forces of Creation, Sustenance and Destruction. We see these forces at play in our every day life. There is birth (Janam), life (Jivan) and death (Mrityu). This applies to all forms of life. This phenomenon is always in motion and forever changing.

For example, this ever-changing phenomenon is evinced in the cycle of water vapors originating from the oceans in becoming clouds and then rain. The raindrops again change form - from becoming a small brook forming into a stream, the droplets eventually merge with the rivers and flow back into the mighty Ocean from whose womb will ascend the vapors all over again.

The play of these forces is also evident in our thought process. In our society people are classified into various titles (Upadhies) depending upon their level of awareness and intellect. Without this classification communication and negotiation will become difficult.

However, viewed minutely, it will be noted that per se, we do not think. Our so-called thought process is the play of the three forces being discussed here. This can be tested by anyone. Try being silent and see what happens!

Brahma hurls! One after the other thoughts flow like an endless chain. The sequence may be random, erratic or a continuous pattern (for some time) but like a perennial river, the thought flow goes on. Brahma hurls.

Although this flow is continuous, seemingly it comes to a "Stop". The play of Vishnu begins here. This happens due to our beginning to entertain a particular or a segment of the chain of thoughts. Our dwelling on the thought is dependent upon our traits, character and upbringing, past experiences and also by the fact that Time, Space and Causation bind us. This is where the playful Vishnu, also culminates our dwelling or entertainment of thought into a desire and passions that eventually lead to action. The birth of Karma takes place. Vishnu plays.

Try hard, as one may, we cannot keep on entertaining a thought or performing any action endlessly. The playful Vishnu must rest!

This apparent rest is due to the dissolution process of Shiva's force. Shiva terminates! Call it a simple end, a sleeping time or termination of the thought process, Shiva takes over.

But does it truly end? Awakening from the deep slumber, we find Brahma knocking at the door, hurling all over again for Vishnu to play and Shiva (Mahesha) to terminate.

Verily, all this is Maya - an illusion. Guru Nanak in his Japuji Sahib has appropriately explained this phenomenon:

Eka Mai Jugat ViyaeeTin Chele Parvan
Ik Sansari Ik Bhandari Ik Lae Diban
Jiv Tis Bhave Tivey Chalavey Jiv Hove Phurman
Ohu Vekhe Ona Nadar Na Avey Bahuta Ehu Vidan

The Supreme spirit manifested Maya
Who conceived and delivered the Holy Triad
The Creator, the Sustainer and the Destroyer
Yet He ordains as pleases Him for the Triad to act
Even they see Him not Who Sees All
This remains the greatest wonder of all

Blog Posted on: Thursday, October 25, 2007 at 12:56-AM

What is Hindu Dharma?

Rajiv Sharma — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:27:48 GMT

One of the major living religious traditions of the world, Hinduism is also recognized as the most ancient. It is different from most others because it was not started by any single individual, seer or prophet, and its origins cannot be traced to a particular period of human history.

It is not based on one single book or a set of dogmas; on the contrary, it allows a great deal of freedom of thought, faith and worship. Hinduism is not a single religious faith system because it does not insist on any fixed set of doctrines. There are a variety of religious sects or traditions in Hinduism. However, in spite of this diversity, there is a unity among all the doctrines and schools of thought because their basic principles are based on the 'eternal laws of nature' which can be rightly defined as Sanatana (eternal) Dharma (laws of nature). The knowledge of the universe and the laws contained in the Vedas and in the subsequent scriptures is considered to be applicable at all times and places. As these laws bind the universe and its components together, it is called 'Dharma', i.e. that which keeps all together.

'Dharma' is one of the most intractable terms used in the Hindu philosophy and is derived from the root 'dhru', meaning to uphold, sustain or support. Hindu Dharma comprises a medium, an instrument or an integrated scheme of life by which one is prevented from falling down and is uplifted spiritually. It is thus a way of life or a value system. The word 'Religion' is used for the lack of a better synonym for 'Dharma' in English language.

Hinduism describes Dharma as the natural universal laws whose observance enables humans to be contented and happy, and to save himself from degradation and suffering. Dharma is the moral law combined with spiritual discipline that guides one's life. Hindus consider Dharma the very foundation of life. Atharva Veda describes Dharma symbolically: Prithivim Dharmana dhritam, that is, "this world is upheld by Dharma".

Anything that helps human being to reach god is Dharma and anything that hinders human being from reaching god is Adharma. For instance, in the epic poem Mahabharata, the Pandavas represent Dharma in life and the Kauravas represent Adharma.

According to the Bhagavat Purana, righteous living or life on a dharmic path has four aspects: austerity (tap), purity (shauch), compassion (daya) and truthfulness (satya); and adharmic or unrighteous life has three vices: pride (ahankar), contact (sang), and intoxication (madya).

The purpose of Dharma is not only to attain a union of the soul with the supreme reality, it also suggests a code of conduct that is intended to secure both worldly joys and supreme happiness. Hinduism is the religion that suggests methods for the attainment of the highest ideal and eternal bliss here and now on earth and not somewhere in heaven.

In essence Hinduism is a way of life and culture in which several religious practices are harmoniously blended and bound by the common bond of 'Dharma'. In the words of a Hindu scholar and writer, Ram Swarup, "it is the name of one religion or one truth lived at hundred points in hundred ways by people of different capacities and preparedness. Unity of Hinduism is not external and geographical; it is deep, subtle, spiritual; it has multiple expressions; it lives in them all; it also exceeds them."

From www.balagokulam.org

Blog Posted on: Saturday, February 21, 2009 at 02:27-PM

The word 'Hindu'

Rajiv Sharma — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:27:48 GMT

History is mostly guessing; the rest is prejudice. - Will Durant

The word 'Hindu' has its origin in Sanskrit literature. In the Rig Veda, Bharat is referred to as the country of 'Sapta Sindhu', i.e. the country of seven great rivers. The word 'Sindhu' refers to rivers and sea and not merely to the specific river called 'Sindhu'. In Vedic Sanskrit, according to ancient dictionaries, 'sa' was pronounced as 'ha'. Thus 'Sapta Sindhu' was pronounced as 'Hapta Hindu'. This is how the word 'Hindu' came in to being. The ancient Persians also referred to Bharat as 'Hapta Hind', as recorded in their ancient classic 'Bem Riyadh'. That is why some scholars came to believe that the word 'Hindu' had its origin in Persia. The Greeks, who invaded Bharat under Alexander, dropped 'H' and used the name Indoos or Indus, which later led to the formation of the word 'India'.

From www.balagokulam.org

Blog Posted on: Saturday, February 21, 2009 at 02:27-PM

Idea of GOD

Rajiv Sharma — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:27:48 GMT

One GOD, Many FORMS

The fundamental concept in Hinduism is that God is one but has many attributes and many functions and hence is called by many different names. Hinduism gives freedom to believe that God is formless and also allows us to worship God in diverse forms. These forms include complimentary attributes of male and female deities, some in human and some even in animal form.

God is the creator, sustainer and destroyer of the Universe

These three aspects are attributed to the trinities - Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara.

God pervades the entire universe

God is equally present in every one and in every thing.

God is beyond gender

Hindus worship both male female forms of God.

Hindu scriptures also point out that whilst God is one, God cannot be fully defined. To define is to limit. Whatever is limitless defies definition. Total knowledge about God is beyond human comprehension and expression, so for this reason Hinduism allows use of various symbols and images to allow people to discover God in whichever way they want to. This freedom of thought and worship is unique to Hinduism and has been misunderstood by many who claim that Hindus worship many Gods.

The Vedas declare that: 'Ekam Sat Vipraah Bahudhaa vadanti' (Truth is one and the sages call it by different names) - RIG VEDA, 1-164-46

We can take example from daily life, where one person is given different names by different people. A man can be father to his children, husband to his wife, son to his father, and grandfather to his grandchildren. Similarly God is known by different names depending on how people relate with God. One may worship God as mother, a child, a father or a friend. The following prayer illustrates how devotees relate to God.

Twameva maata ca pitaa twameva
Twameva bandhushca sakhaa twameva
Twameva vidyaa dravinam twameva
Twameva sarvam mama deva deva ||

Story of Kanakadasa: God is everywhere

Kanakadasa was a devotee of Bhagvan Krishna. He was a disciple of Vyasaraya. Once the Guru called all his disciples and told them - "today is Ekadashi and we are supposed to fast. But, it's difficult not to eat any thing. So, I will give you one banana each. But, you should eat in a place where no one would see you." All the disciples left the place and when they came back next day, the Guru asked them how they managed to eat. One student said, "I covered myself in a blanket and ate it". Other said, "When it was dark in the night, I switched off the light and ate it." Every one explained how smart they were, except Kanakadasa. Kanakadasa said, "Guruji, I could not eat it. I could not find a place where God was not present."

The story of 'The Elephant and Six Blind Men' can be told to drive home the point that each might experience and realize different aspect of the divinity.

Once six blind men came across an elephant. They had no idea what an elephant looked like, so they started to explore. The first blind moved his hand around the elephant's side and exclaimed, "the elephant is like a big wall." The second, who was holding one of the legs, disagreed, "No, it's like a thick pillar." The third interrupted, "I think it's like a big flag." He was near the elephant's big flapping ears. The fourth, who had caught the tail, insisted that it was like a rope. The fifth felt the tusks and announced that it was like a pestle or rod. Finally, the sixth could not remain silent and yelled, "You are all wrong. The elephant is like hose-pipe." He had felt the animal's trunk. They all started to argue about the shape and size of the elephant, until a sighted person came along to show them around it.

From www.balagokulam.org

Blog Posted on: Saturday, February 21, 2009 at 02:27-PM

Hindu Scriptures

Rajiv Sharma — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:27:48 GMT

The Hindu scriptures are the product of relentless investigations into the facts and truth of life carried out by the ancient sages of Bharat. They contain systematic treatises on varied subjects in the fields of science, religion, metaphysics, philosophy and spiritual knowledge.

They are not limited to a few books because Hinduism does not confine ideas; therefore the scriptures have become a home for many different schools of thought. There is no single textbook for Mathematics nor is there a last or only Mathematician. Mathematics is the collective knowledge of all the Mathematicians over the ages. Similarly what we call Hinduism is the collective knowledge of all the sages who went to discover the Truth. 'Veda', the oldest scripture known to humankind, literally means 'knowledge'.

In Hinduism, there are two categories of books:

1. Shrutis, which deal with never changing, eternal principles, and

2. Smritis, which often deal with the practical application of those principles to the ever changing social order.

'Shruti' means 'what is heard' and 'Smriti' means 'what is remembered. Shruti being divinely revealed to the great Rishis of yore in the depths of their mystical experience, its authority is supreme. Smritis are the secondary scriptures, which derive their authority from the Shruti. Their business is to explain, elaborate and illustrate the fundamental teachings of the Shruti.

However, according to the Hindu view, revelations are not limited to any individual, time or place. Just as there have been revelations in the past, they can occur at present or in future also. The seer is only a medium to transmit the insight, which he receives. Hence he is no more the inventor of the Veda than Newton is the generator of the law of gravity. The laws always existed and they were only 'discovered' or 'seen'. That's why the Rishis are called 'seers'.

The Vedas are four in number-the Rig Veda, the Yajur Veda, the Sama Veda and the Atharva Veda. The Rig Veda is the most ancient scripture of the world. Lokamanya Tilak, on the strength of astronomical evidences, concludes that it is at least 8,000 years old.

The Rig Veda consists of hymns which are mostly prayers. The Yajur Veda deals mainly with sacrificial rites. The Sama Veda contains a portion of the Rig Vedic hymns set to music. These have to be sung at appropriate stages during a sacrifice. The Atharva Veda, which is a later composition, consists mostly of morals and ethical codes as also a few worldly sciences.

Each Veda is usually divided into four parts: Samhitas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads. The Samhitas contain prayers and mantras used in sacrifices. The Brahmanas give the know-how of sacrificial rites, Aranyakas teach the art of certain types of meditation, based mostly on well-known sacrifices. The Upanishads contain the highest philosophical flights of the Vedic sages, which can be the pride of the whole human race for all time. Schopenhauer, the famous German savant, has declared: "In the whole world there is no study, except that of the originals, so beneficial and so elevating as that of the Upanishads. It has been the solace of my life, it will be the solace of my death."

Then comes the Bhagavad Gita, the most popular of all the Hindu scriptures. The Gita, as it is shortly called, is so well-known all over the world that it has been the second most translated work. Though the Bible ranks first in this regard it should be remembered that its translations were sponsored by the mighty machinery of the colonial rulers of Europe with the enormous material resources at its command. As for the Gita, its beauty, sublimity and universality prompted its admirers to translate it into different languages of the world.

It's probably the only religious book that was taught in a battlefield, a place filled with action. It was not taught to the disciples in the serene mountains of Himalayas. It is in the form of a dialogue between Sri Krishna, the great incarnation of God, and Arjuna, the warrior prince and a man of action, who was caught in a dilemma about his duties. He was confused as to what is right and what is wrong. Serious questions concerning life and death, duty and devotion, knowledge and meditation were discussed, and sensible solutions offered which hold good even to this day. Manliness and selfless devotion to duty are the keynotes of this great little scripture of 700 verses.

There is a verse in Sanskrit that compares the Upanishads to the cows and the Gita to the milk. In other words, the Gita gives the essence of the Upanishadic philosophy in a simple and practicable form. It is an integral part of the Mahabharata.

Any list of the Hindu scriptures is in complete without the two great epics, the Ramayan and the Mahabharata. Though these two great books deal primarily with the story of Sri Rama and that of the Kuru dynasty respectively, they can more rightly be called the encyclopedia of Hindu religion and culture. These two popular works have influenced and inspired the Hindu civilization for thousands of years. They are technically called Itihasa (history) since they contain the history of the two most important dynasties that ruled and shaped the destinies of our Hindu civilization.

The Puranas are another class of scriptures that describe the teachings of the Vedas through myths, legends and examples of great people. They were created to popularize and simplify religious teachings. There are eighteen main Puranas and many other lesser Puranas. There is also the Devi Mahatmya which describes the worship of God as the Divine Mother.

The Smritis of Manu, Yajnavalkya and Parashara, the Agamas and the treatises on the Darshanas are the other scriptures forming the magnificent edifice of Hinduism built upon the foundation of the Vedas. The Smritis are mostly codes of law intended to regulate Hindu society from time to time, according to the principles of the Veda. The Agamas are scriptures dealing with the worship of a particular aspect of God and prescribing detailed courses of discipline for the worshipper. The Darshanas are schools of philosophy.

The Buddhism and Jainism deny the authority of Vedas. In Sanskrit, those accept the authority of the Vedas are called 'Astika' and those who reject the Vedas are called 'Nastika'. Buddhist, Jain and Charvaka (materialism) scriptures are often termed 'Nastika' literature, though they remain firmly within the fold of Hinduism. Dharmpad and Tripitakas in Buddhism and Kalpa Sutra in Jainism are the main scriptures.

Tamil is the oldest of the Dravidian group of languages. It has both Shaivism and Vaishnavism in its classical literature. On the Shaivite side are the four great teacher-saints: Appar, Sundarar, Thirujnaanasambandhar and Manikkavacagar. Their compositions are known as 'Thevaram' and 'Thiruvacakam'. Another literary masterpiece describing the idealistic forms of behavior, conduct and ethics is 'Thirukkural'. This anthology of three-line verse numbering 1330 in all, was written by Tirukkural in Tamil. The most popular Vaishnava literature in Tamil is 'Nalayira Divya Prabandham' which is a collection of 4000 verses and comprises devotional songs written by poet saints known as 'Alvars'.

As mentioned earlier, Hinduism is not a closed book. From time to time, sages in Bharat have given new impetus to the faith by removing bad or misleading practices and re-establishing the teachings of the Vedas. One example is Sikhism, which was founded by Guru Nanak Dev about 500 years ago. The 'Guru Granth Sahib' is the main scripture of Sikhism. It is written in Punjabi. The concept of 'Ek Omkar' taught by Guru Nanak Dev is rooted in Vedas.

Another example is Arya Samaj movement started by Swami Dayananda Saraswati more 100 years ago. His best known books are 'Satyarth Prakash' (Light of Truth) and commentaries on the Vedas.

There are many more books, some lost in the past, some still being written, and there will no doubt be many in the future. This is the secret of dynamism in Hinduism. Unity in diversity is the strength of our culture, enabling us to survive as the world's oldest religion and yet remain modern.

From www.balagokulam.org

Blog Posted on: Saturday, February 21, 2009 at 02:27-PM

Why do we light a lamp? - Meaning of Hindu Rituals

Rajiv Sharma — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:27:48 GMT

In almost every Indian home a lamp is lit daily before the altar of the Lord. In some houses it is lit at dawn, in some, twice a day – at dawn and dusk – and in a few it is maintained continuously (akhanda deepa). All auspicious functions commence with the lighting of the lamp, which is often maintained right through the occasion.
Light symbolizes knowledge, and darkness, ignorance. The Lord is the "Knowledge Principle" (chaitanya) who is the source, the enlivener and the illuminator of all knowledge. Hence light is worshiped as the Lord himself.
Knowledge removes ignorance just as light removes darkness. Also knowledge is a lasting inner wealth by which all outer achievement can be accomplished. Hence we light the lamp to bow down to knowledge as the greatest of all forms of wealth.
Why not light a bulb or tube light? That too would remove darkness. But the traditional oil lamp has a further spiritual significance. The oil or ghee in the lamp symbolizes our vaasanas or negative tendencies and the wick, the ego. When lit by spiritual knowledge, the vaasanas get slowly exhausted and the ego too finally perishes. The flame of a lamp always burns upwards. Similarly we should acquire such knowledge as to take us towards higher ideals.
Whilst lighting the lamp we thus pray:

Deepajyothi parabrahma
Deepa Jyotir Janaardanah
Deepo harati paapaani
Sandhyaa deepa namostute ||

I prostrate to the dawn/dusk lamp; whose light is the Knowledge Principle (the Supreme Lord), which removes the darkness of ignorance and by which all can be achieved in life.

From www.balagokulam.org

Blog Posted on: Saturday, February 21, 2009 at 02:27-PM

Why do we have a prayer room? - Meaning of Hindu Rituals

Rajiv Sharma — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:27:48 GMT

Most Hindu homes have a prayer room or altar. A lamp is lit and the Lord worshipped each day. Other spiritual practices like japa (repetition of the Lord’s name), meditation, paaraayana (reading of the scriptures), prayers, devotional singing etc is also done here. Special worship is done on auspicious occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, festivals and the like. Each member of the family – young or old – communes with and worships the Divine here.

The Lord is the entire creation. He is therefore the true owner of the house we live in too. The prayer room is the Master room of the house. We are the earthly occupants of His property. This notion rids us of false pride and possessiveness.

The ideal attitude to take is to regard the Lord as the true owner of our homes and ourselves as caretakers of His home. But if that is rather difficult, we could at least think of Him as a very welcome guest. Just as we would house an important guest in the best comfort, so too we felicitate the Lord’s presence in our homes by having a prayer room or altar, which is, at all times, kept clean and well-decorated.

Also the Lord is all-pervading. To remind us that He resides in our homes with us, we have prayer rooms. Without the grace of the Lord, no task can be successfully or easily accomplished. We invoke His grace by communing with Him in the prayer room each day and on special occasions.

Each room in a house is dedicated to a specific function like the bedroom for resting, the drawing room to receive guests, the kitchen for cooking etc. The furniture, decor and the atmosphere of each room are made conducive to the purpose it serves. So too for the purpose of meditation, worship and prayer, we should have a conducive atmosphere – hence the need for a prayer room.

Sacred thoughts and sound vibrations pervade the place and influence the minds of those who spend time there. Spiritual thoughts and vibrations accumulated through regular meditation, worship and chanting done there pervade the prayer room. Even when we are tired or agitated, by just sitting in the prayer room for a while, we feel calm, rejuvenated and spiritually uplifted.

From www.balagokulam.org

Blog Posted on: Saturday, February 21, 2009 at 02:27-PM

Why do we do Namaste? - Meaning of Hindu Rituals

Rajiv Sharma — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:27:48 GMT

Indians greet each other with namaste. The two palms are placed together in front of the chest and the head bows whilst saying the word namaste. This greeting is for all – people younger than us, of our own age, those older than us, friends and even strangers.

There are five forms of formal traditional greeting enjoined in the shaastras of which namaskaram is one. This is understood as prostration but it actually refers to paying homage as we do today when we greet each other with a namaste.

Namaste could be just a casual or formal greeting, a cultural convention or an act of worship. However there is much more to it than meets the eye. In Sanskrit namah + te = namaste. It means – I bow to you – my greetings, salutations or prostration to you. Namaha can also be literally interpreted as "na ma" (not mine). It has a spiritual significance of negating or reducing one’s ego in the presence of another.

The real meeting between people is the meeting of their minds. When we greet another, we do so with namaste, which means, "may our minds meet," indicated by the folded palms placed before the chest. The bowing down of the head is a gracious form of extending friendship in love and humility.

The spiritual meaning is even deeper. The life force, the divinity, the Self or the Lord in me is the same in all. Recognising this oneness with the meeting of the palms, we salute with head bowed the Divinity in the person we meet. That is why sometimes, we close our eyes as we do namaste to a revered person or the Lord – as if to look within. The gesture is often accompanied by words like "Ram Ram", "Jai Shri Krishna", "Namo Narayana", "Jai Siya Ram", "Om Shanti" etc – indicating the recognition of this divinity.

When we know this significance, our greeting does not remain just a superficial gesture or word but paves the way for a deeper communion with another in an atmosphere of love and respect.

From www.balagokulam.org

Blog Posted on: Saturday, February 21, 2009 at 02:27-PM

Why do we fast? - Meaning of Hindu Rituals

Rajiv Sharma — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:27:48 GMT

Most devout Hindus fast regularly or on special occasions like festivals. On such days they do not eat at all, eat once or make do with fruits or a special diet of simple food.

Fasting in Sanskrit is called upavaasa. Upa means "near" + vaasa means "to stay". Upavaasa therefore means staying near (the God), meaning the attainment of close mental proximity with the Lord. Then what has upavaasa to do with food?

A lot of our time and energy is spent in procuring food items, preparing, cooking, eating and digesting food. Certain food types make our minds dull and agitated. Hence on certain days people decide to save time and conserve their energy by eating either simple, light food or totally abstaining from eating so that the mind becomes alert and pure. The mind, otherwise pre-occupied by the thought of food, now entertains noble thoughts and stays with the Lord. Since it is a self-imposed form of discipline it is usually adhered to with joy.

Also every system needs a break and an overhaul to work at its best. Rest and a change of diet during fasting is very good for the digestive system and the entire body.

The more you indulge the senses, the more they make their demands. Fasting helps us to cultivate control over our senses, sublimate our desires and guide our minds to be poised and at peace. Fasting should not make us weak, irritable or create an urge to indulge later. This happens when there is no noble goal behind fasting.

The Bhagavad Geeta urges us to eat appropriately - neither too less nor too much - yukta-aahaara and to eat simple, pure and healthy food (a saatvik diet) even when not fasting.

From www.balagokulam.org

Blog Posted on: Saturday, February 21, 2009 at 02:27-PM

Why do we regard trees and plants as sacred? - Meaning of Hindu Rituals

Rajiv Sharma — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:27:48 GMT

The God, the life in us, pervades all living beings, be they plants or animals. Hence, they are all regarded as sacred. Human life on earth depends on plants and trees. They give us the vital factors that makes life possible on earth: food, oxygen, clothing, shelter, medicines etc.

Hence, in Bharat, we are taught to regard trees and plants as sacred. Hindu scriptures tell us to plant ten trees if, for any reason, we have to cut one. We are advised to use parts of trees and plants only as much as is needed for food, fuel, shelter etc. we are also urged to apologize to a plant or tree before cutting it.

Certain trees and plants like tulasi, peepal etc., which have tremendous beneficial qualities, are worshipped till today. It is believed that divine beings manifest as trees and plants, and many people worship them to fulfill their desires or to please the Lord.

From www.balagokulam.org

Blog Posted on: Saturday, February 21, 2009 at 02:27-PM

Why do we say shaanti thrice? - Meaning of Hindu Rituals

Rajiv Sharma — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:27:48 GMT

Shaanti, meaning "peace", is a natural state of being. Disturbances are created either by us or others. For example, peace already exists in a place until someone makes noise. Therefore, peace underlies all our agitations. When agitations end, peace is naturally experienced since it was already there. Where there is peace, there is happiness. Therefore, every one without exception desires peace in his/her life.

However, peace within or without seems very hard to attain because it is covered by our own agitations. A rare few manage to remain peaceful within even in the midst of external agitation and troubles. To invoke peace, we chant prayers. By chanting prayers, troubles end and peace is experienced internally, irrespective of the external disturbances. All such prayers end by chanting shaanti thrice.

It is believed that trivaram satyam - that which is said thrice comes true. For emphasising a point we repeat a thing thrice. In the court of law also, one who takes the witness stands says, "I shall speak the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth".

The popular notion of peace today is 'absence of war'. But Hindus think of peace at three levels. We chant shaanti thrice to emphasize our intense desire for peace. All obstacles, problems and sorrows originate from three sources.

Aadhidaivika : The unseen divine forces over which we have little or no control like earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions etc.

Aadhibhautika: The known factors around us like accidents, human contacts, pollution, crime etc.

Aadhyaatmika: We sincerely pray to the Lord that at least while we undertake special tasks or even in our daily lives, there are no problems or that, problems are minimized from the three sources written about above.

May peace alone prevail. Hence shaanti is chanted thrice.

From www.balagokulam.org

Blog Posted on: Saturday, February 21, 2009 at 02:27-PM

Why do we do aarati? - Meaning of Hindu Rituals

Rajiv Sharma — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:27:48 GMT

Towards the end of every ritualistic worship (pooja or bhajan) of the Lord or to welcome an honored guest or saint, we perform the aarati. This is always accompanied by the ringing of the bell and sometimes by singing, playing of musical instruments and clapping. It is one of the sixteen steps (shodasha upachaara) of the pooja ritual. It is referred to as the lighted lamp in the right hand, which we wave in a clockwise circling movement to light the entire form of the Lord. Each part is revealed individually and also the entire form of the Lord. As the light is waved we either do mental or loud chanting of prayers or simply behold the beautiful form of the Lord, illumined by the lamp. At the end of the aarati we place our hands over the flame and then gently touch our eyes and the top of the head.

We have seen and participated in this ritual from our childhood. Let us find out why we do the aarati?

Having worshipped the Lord of love - performing abhisheka, decorating the image and offering fruits and delicacies, we see the beauty of the Lord in all His glory. Our minds are focussed on each limb of the Lord as the lamp lights it up. It is akin to silent open-eyed meditation on His beauty. The singing, clapping, ringing of the bell etc. denote the joy and auspiciousness which accompanies the vision of the Lord.

Aarati is often performed with camphor. This holds a telling spiritual significance. Camphor when lit, burns itself out completely without leaving a trace of it. It represents our inherent tendencies (vaasanas). When lit by the fire of knowledge which illumines the Lord (Truth), our vaasanas thereafter burn themselves out completely, not leaving a trace of ego which creates in us a sense of individuality that keeps us separate from the Lord. Also while camphor burns to reveal the glory of Lord, it emits a pleasant perfume even while it sacrifices itself. In our spiritual progress, even as we serve the guru and society, we should willingly sacrifice ourselves and all we have, to spread the "perfume" of love to all. We often wait a long while to see the illumined Lord but when the aarati is actually performed, our eyes close automatically as if to look within. This is to signify that each of us is a temple of the Lord.

Just as the priest reveals the form of the Lord clearly with the aarati flame, so too the guru revels to us the divinity within each of us with the help of the "flame" of knowledge (or the light of spiritual knowledge). At the end of the aarati, we place our hands over the flame and then touch our eyes and the top of the head.

It means - may the light that illuminated the Lord light up my vision; may my vision be divine and my thoughts noble and beautiful.

The philosophical meaning of aarati extends further. The sun, moon, stars, lightning and fire are the natural sources of light. The Lord is the source of this wonderful phenomenon of the universe. It is due to Him alone that all else exist and shine. As we light up the Lord with the flame of the aarati, we turn our attention to the very source of all light, which symbolizes knowledge and life.

Also the sun is the presiding deity of the intellect, the moon, that of the mind, and fire, that of speech. The Lord is the supreme consciousness that illuminates all of them. Without Him, the intellect cannot think, nor can the mind feel nor the tongue speak. The Lord is beyond the mind, intellect and speech. How can these finite equipment illuminate the Lord? Therefore, as we perform the aarati we chant;

Na tatra suryo bhaati na chandra taarakam
Nemaa vidyuto bhaanti kutoyamagnib
Tameva bhaantam anubhaati sarvam
Tasya bhasa sarvam idam vibhaati

He is there where the sun does not shine,
Nor the moon, stars and lightning.
then what to talk of this small flame (in my hand),
Everything (in the universe) shines only after the Lord,
And by His light alone are we all illumined.

From www.balagokulam.org

Blog Posted on: Saturday, February 21, 2009 at 02:27-PM

Ashramas : Four Stages in Human Life

Rajiv Sharma — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:27:48 GMT

Just as we differ in aptitudes, so do we differ in age. There are different seasons in human life as in nature. What grows in the spring will not grow in the autumn. The action that is appropriate in the spring is out of place in the fall.

In this way the normal human life was regarded as eighty-four years, consisting of four sections of twenty-one years each.

Brahmacharya: The first twenty-one years is called the "Brahmacharya ashram", the stage of youth or learning, which requires a certain discipline, guidance and purity for its full flowering.

Grihastha: The second twenty-one years, from ages twenty-one to forty-two, is called the "Grihastha ashram" or householder phase. This is the main time for having children and raising a family, as well as for working and fulfilling our duties to society. This second stage of life begins with marriage. One enters the householder stage and starts a family. One earns a righteous living. One looks after all family members including the elderly, guests and children. One is supposed to work for the good of the society as a whole (dharma). This stage allows one to acquire wealth (artha) and fulfill legitimate desires (kama). This stage in life is the key stage, as it acts as the financial support for the other three stages of life. It has relevance today in teaching values of righteous living, carrying out one's duties, not just looking after one's own family but also doing good work for society as a whole.

Vanaprastha: The third section of twenty-one years, from ages forty-two to sixty-three is the "Vanaprastha" or the hermitage phase. This is a time for return to contemplation and for guiding society in the distance. The scriptures say 'when the skin becomes wrinkled' one begins this stage. It literally means - 'the stage of the forest dweller.' It encourages withdrawal from family duties. It is a stage of retirement. One acts as the advisor in the family and passes on the duties of running the household to the younger members of the family. One withdraws from worldly desires in order to attend to one's spiritual needs. Normally one continues to live with the family but spends time in contemplation and meditation.

Sanyasa: The fourth and last section from sixty-three to eighty-four is the "Sanyasa" or renunciation phase. The person, now an elder, full of wisdom, inwardly aims to renounce all the outer goals of life. He also becomes a teacher of the spiritual knowledge and no longer partakes in social or political concerns.

This order reflects the general rule. More advanced souls may go directly to the renunciation phase. Less advanced souls may not even qualify for the first phase. They may never develop the purity, innocence and humility of the Brahmacharya phase.

In this we see that only twenty-one years are allotted for the outer duties of life. Three-quarters of life is to be devoted primarily to spiritual study.

A true society provides the appropriate experiences for each of these four stages of life. Our present American society is based mainly on adolescent values. Even the elderly are expected to act like the young, pursuing sex, sports and money. Such a culture is one-sided and unbalanced. The potentials of the soul in old age are denied. The natural movement of the soul in its later years towards detachment and meditation is suppressed. As the elderly naturally begin to lose interest in the outer goals of life we tell them that they are sick and encourage them to do things to remain in the mainstream of worldly seeking. The elderly are not able to grow in wisdom and become our true elders and teachers. We make them into mockeries of the young. We do not respect them and they feel we have abandoned them. As we live longer and the average age of individuals in our cultures increases this problem becomes more acute.

Any society which does not recognize the stages of life cannot flourish for long, just as a farmer cannot be successful if he only knows the plants that flourish in one season. Nor can any individual be happy if they are following the needs of a stage of life, which is no longer appropriate for them. Hence this ancient Vedic understanding of the stages of life must be brought back again.

Society is not a two dimensional drawing. It has the invisible dimension of spiritual growth. Without recognizing this we have a warped perspective on our existence. Vedic values aid us in restoring this inner dimension to society as well as to our individual existence. It is that power of aspiration that gives true meaning to human life and allows us to appreciate the different levels and stages of our existence.

From www.balagokulam.org

Blog Posted on: Saturday, February 21, 2009 at 02:27-PM

Om: Symbol of the Absolute

Rajiv Sharma — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:27:48 GMT

The goal which all the Vedas declare, which all austerities aim at, and which men desire when they lead the life of continence … is Om. This syllable Om is indeed Brahman. Whosoever knows this syllable obtains all that he desires. This is the best support; this is the highest support. Whosoever knows this support is adored in the world of Brahma."
~ Katha Upanishad I

Om or Aum is of paramount importance in Hinduism. This symbol (as seen in the image on the right) is a sacred syllable representing Brahman, the impersonal Absolute of Hinduism — omnipotent, omnipresent, and the source of all manifest existence. Brahman, in itself, is incomprehensible; so a symbol becomes mandatory to help us realize the Unknowable. Om, therefore, represents both the unmanifest (nirguna) and manifest (saguna) aspects of God. That is why it is called pranava, to mean that it pervades life and runs through our prana or breath.

Om in Daily Life

Although Om symbolizes the most profound concepts of Hindu belief, it is in use daily. The Hindus begin their day or any work or a journey by uttering Om. The sacred symbol is often found at the head of letters, at the beginning of examination papers and so on. Many Hindus, as an expression of spiritual perfection, wear the sign of Om as a pendant. This symbol is enshrined in every Hindu temple premise or in some form or another on family shrines.

It is interesting to note that a newly born child is ushered into the world with this holy sign. After birth, the child is ritually cleansed and the sacred syllable Om is written on its tongue with honey. Thus right at the time of birth the syllable Om is initiated into the life of a Hindu and ever remains with him as the symbol of piety. Om is also a popular symbol used in contemporary body art and tattoos.

The Eternal Syllable

According to the Mandukya Upanishad, "Om is the one eternal syllable of which all that exists is but the development. The past, the present, and the future are all included in this one sound, and all that exists beyond the three forms of time is also implied in it".

The Music of Om

Om is not a word but rather an intonation, which, like music, transcends the barriers of age, race, culture and even species. It is made up of three Sanskrit letters, aa, au and ma which, when combined together, make the sound Aum or Om. It is believed to be the basic sound of the world and to contain all other sounds. It is a mantra or prayer in itself. If repeated with the correct intonation, it can resonate throughout the body so that the sound penetrates to the centre of one's being, the atman or soul.

There is harmony, peace and bliss in this simple but deeply philosophical sound. By vibrating the sacred syllable Om, the supreme combination of letters, if one thinks of the Ultimate Personality of Godhead and quits his body, he will certainly reach the highest state of "stateless" eternity, states the Bhagavad Gita.

The Vision of Om

Om provides a dualistic viewpoint. On one hand, it projects the mind beyond the immediate to what is abstract and inexpressible. On the other hand, it makes the absolute more tangible and comprehensive. It encompasses all potentialities and possibilities; it is everything that was, is, or can yet be. It is omnipotent and likewise remains undefined.

The Power of Om

During meditation, when we chant Om, we create within ourselves a vibration that attunes sympathy with the cosmic vibration and we start thinking universally. The momentary silence between each chant becomes palpable. Mind moves between the opposites of sound and silence until, at last, it ceases the sound. In the silence, the single thought—Om—is quenched; there is no thought. This is the state of trance, where the mind and the intellect are transcended as the individual self merges with the Infinite Self in the pious moment of realization. It is a moment when the petty worldly affairs are lost in the desire for the universal. Such is the immeasurable power of Om.

How to Type it on your Computer

Try this! To get the Om symbol on your computer screen, open MS Word and key in backslash ( \ ) in Wingdings font. You will type in Om!

From www.about.com

Blog Posted on: Saturday, February 21, 2009 at 02:27-PM

GAYATRI MAHA MANTRA - ITS MEANING

Rajiv Sharma — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:27:48 GMT

AUM BHOOR BHUWAH SWAHA,
TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM
BHARGO DEVASAYA DHEEMAHI
DHIYO YO NAHA PRACHODAYAT.

Summary of the Gayatri Maha Mantra
Gayatri Mantra (the mother of the vedas), the foremost mantra in hinduism and hindu beliefs, inspires wisdom. Its meaning is that "May the Almighty God illuminate our intellect to lead us along the righteous path". The mantra is also a prayer to the "giver of light and life" - the sun (savitur).

Oh God! Thou art the Giver of Life,
Remover of pain and sorrow,
The Bestower of happiness,
Oh! Creator of the Universe,
May we receive thy supreme sin-destroying light,
May Thou guide our intellect in the right direction.

Gayatri Mantra in Sanskrit

Gayatri, the five-faced Goddess, is said to have domain over the five senses or pranas, and protects these five life-forces of those who chant the Gayatri Mantra. In her role as the protector, Gayatri is referred to as Savitri.

Word for Word Meaning of the Gayatri Mantra
Aum = Brahma ;
bhoor = embodiment of vital spiritual energy(pran) ;
bhuwah = destroyer of sufferings ;
swaha = embodiment of happiness ;
tat = that ;
savitur = bright like sun ;
varenyam = best choicest ;
bhargo = destroyer of sins ;
devasya = divine ;
these first nine words describe the glory of God
dheemahi = may imbibe ; pertains to meditation
dhiyo = intellect ;
yo = who ;
naha = our ;
prachodayat = may inspire!
"dhiyo yo na prachodayat" is a prayer to God

Hence the Gayatri is unique in that it embodies the three concepts of stotra (singing the praise and glory of God), dhyaana (meditation) and praarthana (prayer).

The prayer form of the Gayatri be used to pray to Lord Shiva is called Rudra Gayatri. Similarly, one may sing Ganesha Gayatri for Lord Ganesha, Hanuman Gayatri for Lord Hanuman, and Saraswati Gayatri for Goddess Saraswati.

Origin, Benefits and Chanting of the Gayatri Mantra
The Vedas are widely considered to be the source of all true knowledge, the word "Veda" itself meaning "Knowledge". Gayatri Devi also gave to mankind the "Gayatri Mantra", also known as the "Guru Mantra" or the "Savitri Mantra". It is one of the oldest mantras, and generally thought of as being amongst the highest and most powerful mantras of all. This mantra is therefore often referred to as "the Mother of the Vedas". In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna had proclaimed to Arjuna - "Among all the mantras, I am the Gayatri".

Rishis selected the words of the Gayatri Mantra and arranged them so that they not only convey meaning but also create specific power of righteous wisdom through their utterance. The ideal times for chanting the mantra are three times a day - at dawn, mid-day, and at dusk. These times are known as the three sandhyas - morning, mid-day and evening. The maximum benefit of chanting the mantra is said to be obtained by chanting it 108 times. However, one may chant it for 3, 9, or 18 times when pressed for time. The syllables of the mantra are said to positively affect all the chakras or energy centres in the human body - hence, proper pronunciation and enunciation are very important.
Chanting of Gayatri Mantra removes all obstacles in our path to increased wisdom and spiritual growth and development. The teachings and powers incorporated in the Gayatri Mantra fulfill this purpose. Righteous wisdom starts emerging soon after Jap(recitation) of the Gayatri Mantra is performed. Sathya Sai Baba teaches that the Gayatri Mantra "will protect you from harm wherever you are, make your intellect shine, improve your power of speech, and dispel the darkness of ignorance (Dhiyoyonah prachodayaath)".

From www.eaglespace.com

Blog Posted on: Saturday, February 21, 2009 at 02:27-PM

Meaning of Maha Shivratri

Rajiv Sharma — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 10:22:34 GMT

The festival of Shivartri is celebrated in the honor of Lord Shiva on the thirteenth or fourteenth day during the month of February or March (Phaguna). Maha Shivratri means “the big night of Lord Shiva” and during the entire night devotees worship Lord Shiva. It was this day of Maha Shivratrti when Lord Shiva got married to Goddess Parvati. People observe fast on the day of Maha Shivratri and perform several Shivratri rituals and traditions to worship Lord Shiva. Early in the morning people take a bath and wear new clothes. Temples are visited by people to worship Shiv lingam and make offerings of milk, rose water, honey, bael leaves, curd and fruits, as it is believed that each offering made to the shiv lingam has its own meaning and the Shiv lingam itself is a symbol of fruitfulness. The meaning of the offerings made to Lord Shiva is given below:

Sanitization of the soul is represented by a bath given to the Shiva lingam with rose water, milk, honey and bael leaves.
Vermilion paste applied to the Shiv lingam is symbolic of a good feature.
Offering of fruits made to the Shiv lingam represents long life and fulfillment of desires.
Prosperity is produced by the burning of incense sticks.
The lighting of the lamp means achievement of knowledge.
Offering of piper betel leaves portrays happiness.

Temples face a large crowd of people as the devotees visit the famous temples of Lord Shiva all over India on the festival of Maha Shivratri. People observe fast during the day and in the night they worship Lord Shiva and recite Shiv chailsa, aarti along with other prayers and in the morning they open their fast. “Om Namah Shivaya” is the line that is repeated by the devotees several times during the day. There are several legends that are associated with the celebrations of Maha Shivratri and therefore people perform several rituals and traditions on this festival.

Women observe the fast of Shivratri with immense believe, as it is said that married women observe the fast for the well being of their family and unmarried girls observe fast for a good husband like Lord Shiva.

From indiafairs.dgreetings.com

Blog Posted on: Monday, February 23, 2009 at 10:22-AM