Panchkadai

"Why We Shout In Anger"

2012-05-18T19:55:00.004+04:00

"Why We Shout In Anger"

A Hindu saint who was visiting river Ganges to take bath found a group of family members on the banks, shouting in anger at each other. He turned to his disciples smiled 'n asked.

'Why do people shout in anger shout at each other?'

Disciples thought for a while, one of them said, 'Because we lose our calm, we shout.'

'But, why should you shout when the other person is just next to you? You can as well tell him what you have to say in a soft manner.' asked the saint

Disciples gave some other answers but none satisfied the other disciples.
Finally the saint explained, .

'When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other to cover that great distance.

What happens when two people fall in love? They don't shout at each other but talk softly, Because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is either nonexistent or very small...'

The saint continued, 'When they love each other even more, what happens? They do not speak, only whisper 'n they get even closer to each other in their love. Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other 'n that's all. That is how close two people are when they love each other.'

He looked at his disciples 'n said.

'So when you argue do not let your hearts get distant, Do not say words that distance each other more, Or else there will come a day when the distance is so great that you will not find the path to return.'

Konkani Shayari

2012-03-30T14:20:00.001+04:00

Konkani Shayari

By : ASHOK SHENOY

1. Megele biale o baile

Chike aeika hav sangile

Megele bail javnu garani soon jail o baile

Potonu mog kornu hordik jathri moga du jail o baile

Mayi hooni sakad tu baile

makk kokka divnu avsu jale o baile

2. Tu chand paddi jalari chikke kaddi

Thijje chand thondi jalari chike boddi

3. Kithle chand padow jalari

bovntha thajje angari kidow

navka manche hakka

nathle ashi jatha aeika

4. aggo ali kanuthihudu sundara bhanu

anna makk hordik naka hav anikai sannu

5. ha ha ha jai abba jai

jalari hordik paei

yeth makk ek mayi

magiri karchu kedani

thaka duradalide banu

anna hav anikai sannu

6. manthathi jann makk godo

gara bapamak hav bodow

cheliyo mantha makk padow

kelav manthathi makk godo

thakachi

chelyengel moga choro

javka have chikke thoro

thedolo

ago dura dalide banu

anna hav anikai sannu

7. javnak ajji dali

pan thakka galni

thaka hav the geni

kela tomato saru

gethle the choru

javlo pot bornu

8. thigele nav bhanumathi

thigelemammale poothu sripathi

karthalo kedanai kithapathi

thaka ath thi hageli srimathi

hordik jathari kedanai koru lagli chapathi

thakka hanei chalaile hagele iqqmathi

wachu laglo sadha hotel indumathi

vichar kele banumathi davli koolarak

sathi-pathi Madhya galato prachar jalo saglo gavanka

9. hoom galonu gole rath dis

thaka ath warla matheri thin kess

10. kon kon kassi kassi kalna ajji kali

konai konali sonu dinathi thangeli pithali

lekthathi shapithathi mannani

ekle palaile ekle jaina he ass khani

11. dila devan ajji ek nave divasu

asso tumgele thondari mandhahasu

he megele prathana

devale davarchi nivedhana

sakdanka di yashasu

di ayur-arogya ayasu

12. megel akkale du sahana

melth makka kedana

jala makka tujjeri preeti

kasi sangu thaje reethi

laggi asthana hav kidaitha hasaitha

dur assthana tugel odgas makk radaith

thugel vanteri mancho hasu

the nidlari obcho kesu

jala makk buddi bramana

boroche yenna makk prema kavana

kela have tuka samarpana

artu kornu ge he megele vinamra nivedhana

megele akkale du sahana

melth makk tu kedana

13. jai makk ek soon amchigeli

thasi munu hav pura kadenaisodhu geli

atha cheliyo pura doctor engineera

jalari megel pooth kartha udupa vera

janannk jai banglore manglore

kona jai he kallianpura

assok jai flat

galuk jai plate

kona jai pej

jai javnak mej

hotela kalari pilari prestige

gara khalari tu ek waste cheez

he megeli kani

aeiku tumka sanni

14. Jeevan mancho dhoni disa kelo

Hanthai atha modern cheliyengel melo

Ann ammale moga duvv

Jalari thani charkengele hardhe komche suvv

Palaithana jatha ek padow istt

Magiri kalche jeevana kastt

15. Ath sakad balmanshangele karbar

Chalthas thangle hatha amgel sarkar

Rastheri palailari burr vache car

Darlenka jala aar ya paar

Hordik jalari jatha darlo grahasthu

Jalari bailen manka sakada asthu

He atha samaj

Asi jala reevaj

16. Kelle have mogu ek phoolak

Jalari gethle the ani konki molak

Lekthalo phoola palaithana

Hav bhagyawantu

Kalitha aeilo ho loku

Chalcho he duddhwantu

17. Konai wajilari

megele shayari

Padth pet pideri

manthathi jan hajj ek janki

Kithe malari thank darla andhakara branthi

18. Jeevan mancho odka kiraile sakkara

Yetha sukh dukh ek prakar

Aneklek polonu hasthalo manavo

Vingada chang lekthalo danavo

19. Manthale thondani kedanai ram ram

Assilo mannatu bhari KAMA

Palailo sabentu neel chithra

Aeilo paperari he sakad charithra

Manthale jann hanni bhari chang

Ani kon bantha NAVABHARATH sang

20. Ahha kithle chand thigele thondi

Jalale jalari thi megele gondi

Nanchthalo thigel kathir matheri dhornu gindi

Magiri dankthalo gara bagil kindi

21. Tu bhari sundharangi

Chamkathna tugele chamkani

Hasuya munu distha ani ani

Kithe thassi chamkatha

Paya komblava java aaNni

What does "Namaste" mean?

2012-01-15T22:15:00.002+04:00

What does "Namaste" mean?

The gesture Namaste represents the belief that there is a Divine spark within each of us that is located in the heart chakra.

The gesture is an acknowledgment of the soul in one by the soul in another.

"Nama" means bow,

"as" means I, and

"te" means you.

Therefore, Namaste literally means "bow me you" or "I bow to you."

To perform Namaste, we place the hands together at the heart charka, close the eyes, and bow the head. It can also be done by placing the hands together in front of the third eye, bowing the head, and then bringing the hands down to the heart.

This is an especially deep form of respect.

Although in the West the word "Namaste" is usually spoken in conjunction with the gesture, in India, it is understood that the gesture itself signifies Namaste, and therefore, it is unnecessary to say the word while bowing.

We bring the hands together at the heart chakra to increase the flow of Divine love. Bowing the head and closing the eyes helps the mind surrender to the Divine in the heart. One can do Namaste to oneself as a meditation technique to go deeper inside the heart chakra; when done with someone else, it is also a beautiful, albeit quick, meditation.

For a teacher and student, Namaste allows two individuals to come together energetically to a place of connection and timelessness, free from the bonds of ego-connection.

If it is done with deep feeling in the heart and with the mind surrendered, a deep union of spirits can blossom.

Ideally, Namaste should be done both at the beginning and at the end of class. Usually, it is done at the end of class because the mind is less active and the energy in the room is more peaceful. The teacher initiates Namaste as a symbol of gratitude and respect toward her students and her own teachers and in return invites the students to connect with their lineage, thereby allowing the truth to flow ” the truth that we are all one when we live from the heart.

wat aare the carctrist of self - realized man

2011-11-23T08:03:00.001+04:00

what are the characteristics of self - realized person

A person who realizes that he is not the material body but the soul.
The material body is temporary but the soul is eternal, and one who knows this realizes that he (the soul) has been transmigrating from one body to another for countless lifetimes and thus his current body is just one of the millions of bodies he (the soul) has occupied. This means he is not the body but the soul within the body.
A person who realizes his relationship with the supreme.
The relationship between the living entities and the supreme (God), is that all living entities are part and parcel of the supreme. That means the qualities of all living entities (souls) are the same as those of the supreme. These qualities being eternality, blissfulness, and knowledge.
A person who realizes that the part is meant to serve the whole.
Just as the hand serves the body, the living entities who are part of the supreme, must serve the whole, thus serve the supreme.
A person who has given up desires for material possessions and all his activities are done only for the satisfaction of the supreme.
A person who teaches all the above to others.
A self-realized person is concerned for the welfare of all living beings and thus wants to deliver all living beings back to the spiritual creation, where everyone is happy eternally.

“The great souls, who have achieved perfection, attain me [Krishna]. They do not take birth again in this material creation, which is temporary and full of miseries.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 8.15)

WORDS

2011-11-20T08:06:00.001+04:00

WORDS

I have always had a special love for words. Words have such power in them.
The right words can uplift, inspire, heal, and create endless joy and love
in our lives. The wrong words can depress, discourage, hurt, and bring us
endless misery and pain. It is so very important then to try and choose the
right words in our lives. By choosing the right words I don't just mean
saying the right words or writing the right words either. I also mean
thinking the right words. It is amazing the garbage that so many of us allow
ourselves to think each and everyday of our lives.

In order to live a truly blessed life we must haul away the garbage and
start to plant words that will grow into a garden of joy and light in our
minds. Start today then to make the words in your life work for you and not
against you. Do away with "can't" and "no". Try "can" and "yes" instead.
Say, " I can be happy, I can choose joy, and I can share love." Say, "Yes"
to life, to learning, and to growth. Begin to use words like: Wonderful,
Beautiful, and Delightful when you speak to others. Find a word of praise
for everyone you know and then share it with them. Look the people you love
straight in the eye and tell them, "I love you." Seek our every fantastic,
fabulous, and glorious word that you can and start to use them in your life.

Words are such simple things and yet they have the power to change our lives
forever if we use them right. Make the choice everyday of your life to use
all of the good, positive, and loving words you can every second that you
can. If you do this you will find that your life will become a paradise of
love and joy, that other people will become your brothers and sisters in
happiness, and that God's goodness will shine through every word you use....

What is sacrifice?

2011-11-13T22:53:00.001+04:00

What is sacrifice?

The Sanskrit word for sacrifice is ‘tyaga’ – which means ‘to give up’ and ‘to detach’, ‘to cast aside’, ‘to get rid of’, ‘to discard’ or ‘to leave’. ‘Renunciation’, ‘abandonment’, ‘relinquishment’, ‘forgoing’ and ‘forswearing’ are other terms that can be used alternatively for ‘sacrifice’, but none come close to capturing its essence. ‘Sacrifice’ means ‘to make something sacred’. Sacrifice, when it entails giving up something dear and precious for the sake of a higher good, is indeed a sacred act. Whether it is Christ who gave up his own life to save humanity, or the stranger on the bus who gives up his own seat for an elder, these are acts of sacrifice. Each gave up something of value to him, like Christ’s life or the seat on the bus, to something, which held more value – like love for humanity or wanting the elder to be comfortable.

Always giving Humanity thus survives and sustains on sacrifice at all levels and degrees, even in this dog-eat-dog present times. Looking around, we find that sacrifice is in the very order of nature. If the seed didn’t sacrifice itself, it wouldn’t become a seedling. The bud dies so that the flower can bloom, and the flower dies to yield fruit. The sun is constantly burning itself out to sustain life on earth. Only when the sugar cane allows itself to be squeezed between the jaws of a juicer does sweetness overflow from it. And imagine if the earth stopped rotating even for a few seconds to take a breather! It seems the entire eco system and cosmos is being maintained by various agents that play out their parts to perfection without expectation. “What we humans refer to as virtues is common place in the universe,” says Sudheindra Shidleepur, an engineer whose hobby is to study nature to gain spiritual insights. “Universal Order is only virtue and nothing but virtue and is the most natural order of Mother Creation. Vices are man-made and are a mental construct generated by an inadequate understanding of reality. Absolute reality cannot, of course, be put in a mental framework, and has to be felt deeply within from the likes of examples as given above.”

Sacrifice in nature maintains and sustains, and it is utterly natural. Among humans, sacrifice not just maintains and sustains society, but is also an exalted tool of evolution of the human consciousness. For householders, sacrifice implies charity; for austere spiritual seekers, sacrifice attains more and more connotations, ultimately leading to renunciation and salvation. For both, only that which is given away wholeheartedly without expectation of a reward in return, is sacrifice.

All religions advocate charity (daana) as the right form of conduct. Riches win glory by renouncing them. Indeed, it is well said that a generous mind never enjoys its possessions so much as when others are made partakers of them. Jainism prescribes four types of charity, chaturvidha daana, for a householder, ahaara daana (feeding the hungry), abhaya daana (sheltering one whose life is in danger), aushadha daana (distributing medicines) and gynana daana (spreading knowledge).

Renunciation is the religion of the soul. Buddha and Mahaveera attained salvation by renouncing their kingdoms. Rama renounced Ayodhya to uphold the dictat of his father. Bharata sacrificed the throne too, to revere his elder brother. The mother in the legendary Hindi movie, Mother India sacrificed her wayward son for the welfare of society. The youth in the movie, Rang de Basanti sacrificed themselves to make a point. Innumerable are such examples that glorify the act of sacrifice, signifying that it emerges from a higher, nobler calling.

Tangible and intangible

Money and material are tangible things which most of us part with willingly to help out others, while time, energy, talent, skill and effort are the intangibles. The former is often classified as charity, but there can be an enormous difference in the philanthropic acts of a Bill Gates and of someone who parts with money and material even though he himself is in crying need of it.

Padma Bhushan awardee, Dr DV Gundappa, was a towering personality in the field of Kannada literature. This well-loved and respected philosopher of the mid-20th century could have led a lavish life due to the benevolence of the state and his wealthy and powerful admirers, but he and his family lived within their means, in utter poverty. DVG, as he was and is fondly known, never accepted anything other than what he earned as a self-employed journalist. He lived by the principle of aparigraha or non-avariciousness and astheya or not coveting that which belonged to others – two of the eight principles of ashtanga (eight-limbed) yoga. His wife often never ventured out of the house as she had only one patched-up saree to wear. Even when the state government awarded him a prize of Rs. 1 lakh (a princely sum in 1975) for his contribution to Kannada literature, DVG donated it all to establish an institute dedicated to spiritual pursuit. Such was his adherence to dharma and passion for the propagation of spirituality.

Holy Mother Sri Sharada Devi, wife and spiritual counterpart of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was subjected to heart-wrenchingly adverse circumstances after her husband’s demise. She and the young disciples often went for days without food. Once, unable to bear hunger, Sharada Devi foraged for food in the nearby paddy fields, separated the rice grains from husk, cooked and fed the hungry disciples. Finally, when she was about to put a morsel into her mouth, she was visited by another hungry soul. Without a second’s hesitation, the Holy Mother offered it all to him and went hungry herself.

These are examples where the act of sacrificing the tangible is elevated to an exalted status. Lives of great personalities are thus selfhelp workbooks on the art of life, love, duty and sacrifice.

In the great Indian joint family system, sacri- fice was a way of life not long ago, a basic requirement for survival. A '70s Hindi film, Piya ka Ghar starring Jaya Bhaduri, captured to perfection the dilemma of an Indian daughter-in-law; she is expected to blend in like furniture in the new household and subjugate her every little personal need, hope and aspiration as the needs of the extended family always came first. “And we invariably did,” recalls 72-yearold Lalitha Ramaswamy. Like thousands of other daughters-in-law back then, Lalitha nurtured her numerous sisters- and-brothers-in-law, helped them find jobs, build their own houses and got them married and settled.

Lalitha sacrificed the intangible – her youth, energy, space, comfort plus the tangible finances – to nurture and keep her family together. Why did she and others like her, put up with this pressure and discomfort for most of their lives? “Because I was not even aware I had a choice, and I am not sure I would have taken it either,” says Lalitha, “I was not just a sister-in-law to my husband’s siblings, I was mother to all of them. How can a mother abandon her children?”

Since 2004, Sister Adele Korah of Bangalore has been spending Christmas and New Year with 5,000 friends, all of them in the Central Prison. Sister Adele works 24 hours for this neglected section of society, giving them tuitions in English, nursing the sick, distributing goodies during celebrations and generally spending time with them just laughing and joking. While a prisoner is serving his/her term, Sister makes sure that the person’s family is taken care of by admitting their children to good schools and sees to it that they don’t suffer. Thirtyfive other volunteers help Sister Adele in this mission.

Sister lives by the philosophy of ‘the hands that serve are holier than the lips that pray.’ She feels that it is all about redemption and reformation. “Even the most hated criminal in the world is precious before the eyes of God. He would have erred in a moment of frustration. But my duty is to free them from the world of unforgiveness, hatred, and anger,” she says in a newspaper report.

These women, at their own levels, have sacrificed their own comforts to foster healthy, happy human beings. What can be a better barometer to a life lived purposefully?

Unconscious sacrifice

Sacrifice can be compulsive and impulsive. Once on a cruise ship, a little girl tipped over and fell into the sea. There was a lot of commotion, and another splash was heard – a man was already in the water, saving the girl from drowning and pulling her out. When the duo came up, gasping for breath, people rushed to congratulate the brave rescuer. As soon as the man could catch his breath, he blurted out angrily, “Who pushed me into the water?”

This is what is called compulsive sacrifice – unintentional, inevitable, or forced. In India, there is a practise of dropping the craving for foodstuff when we visit holy places like Benares and Gaya. The pandit there will exhort us to drop something – a favourite vegetable, fruit or a sweet, and make a solemn promise to God that we shall refrain from consuming it again. This is a compulsory symbolic act of disciplining the senses. We are subjected to such compulsive sacrifices many a time during our lifetime because of our reluctance to sacrifice on our own, says Guru Shri Nimishananda. “If we do not perform tyaga on our own, even after repeated opportunities, prompts and reminders, nature will create circumstances that will compel us to do it. For instance, if we are used to overindulging the palate and do not discipline or restrain ourselves when we should, our health will be affected in some way. Then diabetes may make us give up sweets, hypertension may make us give up fried, salty snacks or obesity may make us give up all kinds of junk food,” says Guruji.

On the other hand, when feelings of love and compassion overwhelm us momentarily, we part with something of value on impulse. Looking at a poor boy wearing tattered clothes, we may dig into our pocket and part with whatever currency we find there – maybe even a hundred-rupee note. But later, we may regret our own generosity, and start thinking how useful that money would have been to us otherwise! This kind of sacrifice is impulsive, when we touch base with our nobler instincts by default.

When sacrifice is neither compulsive nor impulsive, but is done voluntarily with awareness, it takes one to a higher level of consciousness.

External and internal

There are several spiritual organisations in India, like the Ramakrishna and Chinmaya Missions, that take in children at the tender age of eight and groom them into a life of asceticism. In the late 1990s, the sanyasi who headed one such organisation in South Karnataka created a furore by giving up his three decades of ascetic life to get married and raise a family. The pull of cupid was greater than the call of sanyasa for this swamiji, and it is commendable that he had the awareness to recognise it and the courage to stand by his decision. Last heard, the Swamiji is rendering music concerts and is quite in demand during religious celebrations for the same! Thirty years of external sacrifice, by wearing ochre robes and being brought up in an ashram, were not successful in helping the swamiji transform his inner personality.

Mother India: The ultimate sacrifice That’s because external sacrifice is not sacrifice at all, says Gopal Krishna, a software engineer who is deeply into spirituality. Can we sacrifice something that does not belong to us in the first place, he asks rhetorically – what is ours that we can sacrifice? Everything is given to us by God – the air we breathe and the food we eat. Everything that we have at any point of time is given to us by God on a lease. He may choose to withdraw any or all of what he has given us at any point of time. If at all we can consider something as ours, it is only our pre-conditioned responses to the world we live in, says Gopal. This is the only thing that is man-made and not God-given. We have to surrender to God or the guru, to help us to transcend them. There is no way we can sacrifice them by our effort entirely.

Thus, we cannot give up material, but can get over our desire for it.
We cannot give up abundance, but can get over the insecurity of scarcity.
We cannot give up relationships, but can get over our expectations from it.
We cannot give up the world, but can get over our attachment to it.
We cannot give up our senses, but can get over our experience of ‘bodyness’ through it.
We cannot give up our life, but can get over our bondage from it.
We cannot give up our ego, but can get over the vices it produces.

A story from Indian mythology talks of one such personality. Janak Maharaj, father of Sita and king of Mithila, was a contradiction of sorts. He was known for his flashy lifestyle as much as for his spiritual advancement. The king used to go to the forest to study under his guru sage, Yajnavalkya, who gave him pride of place right in front of him. This was unbearable to the other disciples, many of them hard-core ascetics. Though Yajnavalkya sensed their resentment, he did nothing to change the status quo. One day, while a discussion on the nature of ‘Brahman’ was in progress, a messenger from the palace came running to the forest with bad tidings. He said that Janaka’s kingdom Mithila was on fire, and was spreading to the forest too. Hearing this, all students started running hither and thither, grabbing their belongings. Only King Janak stayed seated, and calmly continued the discussion. Yajnavalkya then addressed his students, “You think you have renounced the world, but at the first hint of danger you are scrambling to save your pitiable belongings! Here is Janak, whose very kingdom is ablaze and he bothers not about it. Now tell me who is the real sanyasi?”

Externally we can sacrifice money, status, lifestyle, and relationships when the situation demands, but we might still be, and most often are, attached to it mentally. On the contrary, Janak Maharaj was in the world, yet was detached from it, like a dewdrop that rests ever so lightly on a lotus petal. Ideally, external sacrifice should lead to internal renunciation for everlasting peace and happiness.

Sacrifice is expansion

Whatever be the nature of sacrifice, it appears that it is a continuous expansion of identity and consciousness, a process of evolution. After marriage, a woman’s identity expands to include her children, husband, and her family. A teacher’s identity includes her whole class, a principal’s the whole college, and a Prime Minister’s identity includes the whole nation. Only when all of them sacrifice their own limited identity, comforts, pleasures, and joys in favour of their collective identity will they be able to work for the welfare, peace, prosperity, progress, and happiness of the larger group. For realised masters, sacrifice is not just an expansion of identity but dissolution of the same to merge with the Divine. Jesus’ sacrifice is most often described as God’s plan to save humanity. Speaking of His certain death just before the Passover feast that would see his execution, Jesus said, “For this purpose I came to this hour ... And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to myself.”

Sacrifice, for Christ, was nothing less than his duty towards mankind. What else could be the motive of spiritual souls to continue being in their embodied form, once they have attained self-realisation? The Mahabharata says that even the bliss of trance should not be enjoyed just for the sake of enjoyment. If Adi Shankara had been content to remain in bliss and shut himself away, the world would have lost an entire stream of philosophy called Advaita. Swami Vivekananda was taken to samadhi by his Guru Ramakrishna Paramahamsa only once – because the latter wanted his disciple to be very much in the world to accomplish what he did for humanity. The 24 disciples of Ramakrishna were so poor that they lived in a single shed and had just one pair of clothes among them – the one who needed to venture out into town was privileged to wear those clothes. For years, they survived on a diet of just rice and salt. However, not one abandoned their master because they were firm in their cause – pursuit of truth and propagating their master’s teachings to the world. It is a Buddhist tradition to give away their firstborn male child to the monastery – an act of supreme sacrifice. Spiritual masters go to any lengths to take care of their disciples – Ramana Maharshi and Swami Rama are known to have taken their disciple’s diseases and karma upon themselves, and suffered with cancer. Such is the extent of love for their disciples whom they have promised to protect and guide.

What is real sacrifice?

“Real sacrifice is renouncing the ego. Once the ego is surrendered then there are no selfish motives at all or separation from God. We will become a fountain of love and compassion,” says Mata Amritanandamayi.

Real sacrifice is when the doer does not even know that his actions can be classified as sacrifice, but does it because he can’t help it. When sacrifice is the very nature of the doer and not separate from him, like fragrance is the very nature of a flower and wetness the very nature of water. When tyaga becomes dharma. Lord Krishna says selfless service is sacrifice, and calls those who engage in it as tyagis or karma yogis. Sacrifice, after it goes through the fire of self-knowledge, turns into renunciation, says Krishna, and that should be the ultimate goal of humans. Sacrifice provides the preparation, discipline, and purification necessary for renunciation.

“Obligatory work performed as duty, renouncing selfish attachment to the fruit is alone regarded to be sacrifice in the mode of goodness, O Arjuna,” says the Lord in Chapter 18 of the Bhagavad Gita.

Dr. Ramananda Prasad of the American International Gita Society, California, USA, describes the following ways one may practise renunciation or sacrifice for the evolution of human consciousness, based on the Gita:

• Renunciation of actions forbidden by the scriptures

• Renunciation of lust, anger, greed, fear, likes and dislikes, and jealousy

• Spurning of procrastination in the search of truth

• Giving up the feeling of pride of possession of knowledge, detachment, devotion, wealth, and charitable deeds

• Rejection of selfish motives, and attachment to the fruits of all works

• Renunciation of the feeling of doership in all undertakings

• Giving up thoughts of using the Lord to fulfil selfish material desires

• Spurning of the attachments to material objects such as a house, wealth, position, and power

• Sacrifice of wealth, prestige, and even life for a noble cause, or for the protection and propagation of dharma

From sacrifice to salvation

“I understand what is sacrifice and all that – but why should I sacrifice?” asks a friend of mine cheekily, “I have no grandiose agendas of getting enlightened and all that.” Fair enough, one can live an ‘unenlightened’ life, but can one live without peace? Acquiring more and more worldly possessions leads to stress and insecurity while Tyaga shantirantaram – peace, eternal and ecstatic, follows sacrifice.

Alexander the Great, after vanquishing all the mighty kings of India, had a taste of this when he met a yogi sleeping peacefully under a tree. “I have never seen such peace in anyone before,” said the Emperor, “I have conquered the entire world, yet cannot enjoy a good night’s sleep. You, in your loin cloth, appear supremely peaceful. Please come with me to Greece. I will give whatever you wish – wealth, land and a palace to live.” The yogi laughed. “O Emperor,” he said, “I am able to sleep in peace precisely because I neither own nor covet any of the material possessions.” Alexander flew into a rage, “Do you know who you are talking to? I shall cut you into pieces if you do not obey me!” The yogi told the Emperor gently, “You can only cut my body, but I am not the body. I am that which dwells within the body. You call yourself a mighty conqueror? You are a slave of my slave!” “How is that?” asked the miffed warrior. “I have conquered anger, but you appear to have not. Anger is my slave, and you are a slave of my slave,” said the yogi.

One cannot become happy without sacrifice, one cannot become fearless without sacrifice, and one cannot attain God without sacrifice, says the Mahabharat. The Yogi in the above anecdote was peaceful, happy, fearless, and one with God, only because he had renounced both the tangible and the intangible both externally and internally.

Adi Shankara’s Bhaja Govindam is a step-bystep manual on how sacrifice can lead to salvation. Says the great seer, Satsangatve nissangatvam – through good and noble associations, sacrifice the lower associations and move towards being alone; nissangatve nirmohatvam – abiding in yourself, sacrifice desire and attachment; nirmohatve nischalatatvam – devoid of desire, sacrifice the wavering mind and become steady; nischalatatve jeevanmuktihi – with this unwavering mind, you are now liberated from the vagaries of this life and also the cycle of births and deaths.

Be a living sacrifice, said Jesus to Peter. If we, humanity, would resolve do so by dying to our former, limited selves and identifying ourselves with the whole of God’s creation, we would also bloom like the flower and flow like the river as nature intended – utterly beautiful, unselfish, unattached, carefree and in bliss!

Giving so to others may live

2011-11-13T22:50:00.001+04:00

Giving so to others may live - The Power of Sacrifice

Sacrifice is in the very order of nature. if the seed didn’t sacrifice itself, it wouldn’t become a seedling. The bud dies so that the flower can bloom, and the flower dies to yield fruit. Human society too progresses only to the extent it is willing to sacrifice for the larger good

Have you heard the story of Punyakoti, the noble cow who kept her tryst with a tiger because she had given her word to the beast? Punyakoti, once waylaid by the hungry tiger in the forest, is almost devoured by the latter but she implores the tiger to give her time off to go feed her calves who are waiting for her at home. She promises to come back to the forest and offer herself as food to the tiger once she has done her duty by them. Intrigued by this unusual promise and impressed with Punyakoti’s sincerity, the tiger lets her go, more or less reconciling to finding another prey for the day. However, to his amazement, Punyakoti comes back after making suitable arrangements for her calves to be taken care of after her death. “Why did you come back?” asks the nonplussed tiger, “only to be killed and eaten up by me, when you could have easily escaped?” “I am your food for the day,” says she, “how can I deny you your right? It is your dharma to kill and eat, and my dharma to uphold dharma – irrespective of whether it is yours or mine. I had given you my word, hadn’t I? Now please feast on me as much as you wish.” The tiger, shaken to the core by Punyakoti’s sincerity and implicit adherence to ‘dharma’, is instantly transformed. He jumps off a high cliff and kills himself rather than continue leading a life of killing.

I remember there wasn’t a single dry eye in the 7th Standard class when this Kannada poem was recited and explained dramatically by our teacher. Back then, Punyakoti moved innocent 12-year-olds to tears year after year. We sobbed at the vision of her helpless calves imploring her to stay back, cursed the tiger for choosing her as his food, and sobbed again as the tiger jumped off the cliff unable to bear so much goodness. Now, the larger and nobler aspects of Punyakoti’s story appeal to me – her selflessness, sincerity and commitment to ‘truth’ that could melt the heart of a beast. She had no agenda for her own survival; being the tiger’s food for the day came as naturally to her as caring for her calves. Punyakoti, for me, is the epitome of sacrifice.

And so are Mother Teresa, Bhagat Singh, and my housekeeper’s son who walks to school so that he may save the bus fare to buy a candy for his younger sister.

What is it about sacrifice, large or small or insignificant, that tugs at our hearts and leaves the sacrificer ennobled in our eyes? Why is ‘sacrifice’ highly rated as a virtue, worthy of being developed and emulated? How can an entire religion be sustained by the figure of Christ nailed to a cross? Surely a matter worth exploration.

Surname And Occupations in GSB

2011-10-31T22:56:00.000+04:00

Surname And Occupations in GSB

The Gowda saraswat Brahmins wherever they migrated mingled with the local people, but kept their identity by their Surnames even today. The most popular surname among GSBs is Shenoy which is derived from the word Shenvis which was used to refer to the Saraswats originally settled in Goa in 96 settlements.

The surnames of GSBs are mainly two types.

The village names of Gomantak where they settled originally or migrated. This practice is prevalent among Rajapur saraswats. They have surnames like Bandivadekar, Madkaikar, Borkar, Sakhalkar, Haldwanekar, Chimbalkar, Navelkar, Marathe, Lotlikar, Salwankar, Karlekar, Burake, Bhagav, Tendulkar, Patkar, Juvale, Dhonde, Shinkar, Shendre, Bokade, Takur, Gawade, Potkar, Askekar, Shenai, Gavalkar, Shembekar, Lanjolkar etc. which are the original local village names of Gomantak. The word 'Kar" means "From" or citizen of. Thus kakodkar means person from village kakod. This enabled one to identify the profession and the domicile.
Surnames indicating the profession adopted by the Saraswats like Pai, Purohit, Nayak etc.

Shenoy	Originaly for the Shenvis in Goa. Since most of them took up Administrative jobs they were called Shanbhags (clerks) which later became Shenoy.
Pai	Pai in Konkani language means foot or leg. The common person who had not amassed wealth or power was known as Pai.Their job was menial in maintaining ledgers and doing odd jobs. The Pai who was mainly ledger keepers.
Kamathi	Those in agriculture were called Kamathi. Mathi means soil and Kama is work, that is working in soil ( Kama + Mathi). Later this became Kamath.
Kini	Those who cultivated herbs were Kinvis, presently called Kini or Keni.
Vaidya	Thos who prepared the concoction was prepared and dispensed it
Hegde	The animals required for tilling, transportation and other works were under Haya- Gade (actually Horse tenderer), modernized to Hegde.
Nayak, Rao	Those worked as Army commandants were called Nayaks. Some Nayaks who were honoured by the King with titles like Ravubahadur adopted Rao as their Surname
Baliga	The daily requirements of every family for survival, presentations, etc were the responsibility of the Ballo. There is another theory that the foot soldier with a spear was called Ballo. The soldier Ballo (Baliga) was under the command of Nayak.
Prabhu	Feudal lords called themselves Prabhu. He lived in a palatial home called mahal, and the caretaker was known as Mahalyar, presently modernized to Mallya.
Acharya, Bhat and Vadhyar	The poojas in the big temple and its rituals were under Acharya, and in small temples conducted by Bhat. Every family had exclusive priest to perform the rites, and he was the family Purohit and was called Vadhyar.
Mahajan	The temples were administered by Mahajans
Bhandarkar	Stores and godown keepers were called Bhandari or Bhandarkar.
Nadkarni, Kulkarni	A person maintaining statistics was called Karni. Land was called Nadu, and the person maintaining land records was known as Nadkarni, and Kulkarni maintained census, and social register.
Bhakta	Doing odd jobs in temples and poojas

In Karnataka, the village of refuge was used as a prefix to call oneself Padbidri Mohandas Prabhu, or Kinnigoli Ramanath Kamath. The kerala civilization induced the name of the house or the exact area rather than the village, and in some places, the present profession was also added to the name. So we have today, Thayyil Muralidhar Kamath (Thayyil means tailoring house), or Kannaparambil Gopalakrishna Pai (Parambil means garden or farm belonging to kannan).

Today the name has no links with the profession. However the GSBs still retain their Surnames down the generations.

What is Karma?

2011-10-29T22:14:00.001+04:00

What is Karma?

Do you have the answers to the following questions?

Why are some born healthy and some with severe health problems?
Why do some people suffer more than others?
Why do some people live a good life and some a miserable one?
Why is life full of ups and downs? One day we are happy, another day we are sad
Why do some people die from diseases like cancer and some naturally?
Why are some people born more fortunate than others?
Why is there a difference between each person’s lives?
Why do some children suffer from birth and die at very young age?

Sanatan Dharma is the only religion which can answer all of the above questions, and with complete satisfaction.

The answers to all the above questions is:

The Law of Karma
For every action you take there will be a reaction in the future. This is the law of Karma.

Whatever activity we do, good or bad, brings us good or bad reactions. For every action you take, you will face a reaction in the future, which could be a few seconds away or 20 years away or your next incarnation. If you take good actions, you will face good reactions. This may come in the form of good health, wealth or birth on higher planets etc. If you take bad actions, you will face bad reactions in the future. The bad reactions may come in the form of disease, poverty or birth on one of the hellish planets etc.
When we suffer, we are facing the bad reactions to our bad actions taken in the past.
Our actions include everything we do, including our physical deeds, our words and thoughts. There will be a reaction to all our actions.
Taking good actions builds our good karma (joy and happiness in the future).
Taking bad actions builds our bad karma (disease and suffering in the future).
Actions, which result in bad Karma: Eating meat, violence, ignorance, harshness, untruthfulness, lust, anger, greed, attachments, desires, gambling, ego, and alcohol.
Actions, which build good Karma: Vegetarianism, non-violence, generosity, charity, self-control, truthfulness, simplicity, forgiveness, religiousness, and cleanliness. Free from attachments, desires and ego.
Your destiny is in your own hands. You are held responsible for all your actions.
The reason why some people suffer more than others is that they sinned more than others in their past and thus they are now facing the bad reactions to the bad actions taken in their past.
The reason why some good people suffer all their life is because although they are now good. They still suffer because they are now facing the bad reactions to the bad actions taken in their previous lives. But because they are now taking good actions they will face good reactions (be happy) in their next life.
The reason why some really rotten people enjoy a good life despite being rotten, is that they are now facing the good reactions to the good actions they took in their previous lives. However, because they are taking bad actions now (being rotten), they will face bad reactions in the future (suffer).
God does not make one happy for no reason nor does God make one suffer for no reason. Karma is a very just law.
If a person takes good actions in life and thus builds good karma, he or she will be born into a better life in the next incarnation. A sinner who leads an immoral life may be born as a poor person or as an animal in the next incarnation. A person is born again and again to reap the fruits of his or her own actions. This cycle of birth and death continues until the person attains moksha or freedom from the cycle of birth and death. Moksha can be achieved through Krishna consciousness.

Karma and the Human Law and Order System.
Why do we have the police, judges, courts and jails? We have a system of Law and Order in each and every country, which makes us responsible for our actions. If we break the Law, we are arrested, taken to court and the Judge decides on the punishment we receive, which will be in proportion to the crime committed, then sent to jail, punishment for our crimes.
Without the Law and Order system that we have, without the police enforcing the law, life would be pure hell. People would go round killing, looting, stealing, raping and vandalizing property. Simply because people, would not be held responsible for their actions.
Without the Law and Order system there would be no peace and justice in the world.
We have the human Law and Order System in every country and the citizens of each country are held responsible for the actions they take; those who break the law are punished.
Just as we have the Human Law and Order system. God has a Law and Order system, the Law of Karma. We are held responsible for all our actions. The differences between the human system and God’s system are:

With Karma, we are responsible for all our actions, including words and thoughts.
With Karma, there is no escape; you will face reactions to each and every action you take in the future, that is guaranteed. With the human system, some people do get away with murder and other crimes.
With Karma, we are punished for our bad actions and rewarded for good actions, in the human system we are punished if we are caught breaking the law, but we are not rewarded for abiding by the laws.

If you accept that we cannot live peacefully and be treated fairly without the human system of Law and Order, then you must accept that God also has a Law and Order system, the Law of Karma.
Sanatan Dharma is the only religion, which preaches the Law of Karma as this knowledge comes from God and man.

from the pages of http://www.gitamrta.org/laws_of_nature.html#laws7

Deepavali celebration with Oil Bath

2011-10-26T08:11:00.000+04:00

Oil baths have been traditionally a part of everyday care in Asian countries. However, the benefits of these are being recognised by the western world as well. Oil, when mixed with water, has an ability to run deep into your tissues and rejuvenate them. The moisturizing and rejuvenating properties of oils are therapeutic and therefore Oil bath is an age old tradition for body and health care, especially in southern parts of Asia. It is believed that the oils penetrate deep into the skin to repair and provide rejuvenation.

While there are many benefits of an oil bath, the widely acknowledged results are healthy and glowing skin, improved blood circulation and post partum care. One section of the population attaches religious significance to oil bath and incorporates it once every week; the remaining section is reminded of oil bath only during Diwali.

Once oil is penetrated into the skin, the sediments will be removed by the application of herbal powder and warm water. This phenomenon helps to make the skin remove heat from inside of the body. The herbal powder is usually a combination of natural ingredients which conditions the hair and skin, leaving it shiny. The herbal powder also acts as a scrub to remove dead skin cells from the scalp and skin.

The ritual of oil bath is the key celebration point of Diwali. The elders of the family bless the younger generation by applying oil on their heads. The modernisation of skin care and hair care has not taken away the legacy and heritage of oil bath at least during Diwali, because Diwali is not complete without an oil bath.

What does the word Deepavali mean

2011-10-23T23:09:00.002+04:00

What does the word Deepavali mean

The word "DEEPAVALI"
Deepa+vali
Deepa means lights
Vali means line

the festival would indicate success enjoyment and it is expressed by lights .

Deepavali has got Mythological and Historical source from Ramayana and Baghavatham

Deepavali has got importance of Lakshmi Puja also

Deepavali, the literal meaning of which in Sanskrit is 'a row of lamps.' Asi explained in the beginning, Filling little clay lamps with oil and wick and lighting them in rows all over the house is a tradition that is popular in most regions of the country. Even today in this modern world it projects the rich and glorious past of our country and teaches us to uphold the true values of life. It is associated with many customs and traditions. One of the most curious customs, which characterizes this festival of Deepavali, is the indulgence of gambling, especially on a large scale in India .

The first day of five day long Deepavali celebrations is of great importance to the rich community of western India . Houses and business premises are renovated and decorated. Entrances are made colorful with lovely traditional motifs of Rangoli designs to welcome Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth and prosperity. To indicate her long-awaited arrival, small footprints are drawn with rice flour and vermilion powder all over the houses. Lamps are kept burning all through the night. Believing this day to be auspicious women purchase some gold or silver or at least one or two new utensils.

Lakshmi-Puja is performed in the evenings when tiny diyas of clay are lighted to drive away the shadows of evil spirits, devotional songs- in praise of Goddess Laxmi are sung and Naivedya of traditional sweets is offered to the Goddess. There is a peculiar custom in Maharashtra to lightly pound dry coriander seeds with jaggery and offer as Naivedya In villages cattle are adorned and worshiped by farmers as they form the main source of their income. In south cows are offered special veneration as they are supposed to be the incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi and therefore they are adorned and worshiped on this day .

On second day there is a traditional practice specially in Maharashtra of taking bath before sunrise with oil and "Uptan" (paste) of gram flour and fragrant powders. In northern India , especially in places like Punjab , Deepavali is dedicated to the worship of Lord Rama. While in Bengal , Kali/Durga, the goddess of strength, is worshiped. Deepavali is one of the few Hindu festivals, which is celebrated in every part of the country, even in states like Kerala that has Onam as its main festival. To the Jains, Deepavali has an added significance to the great event of Mahaveera attaining the Eternal Bliss of Nirvaana.

Govardhan-Puja is also performed on the fourth day. This day is also observed as Annakoot meaning 'mountain of food'. In temples especially in Mathura and Nathadwara, the deities are given milk bath and dressed in shining attires with ornaments of dazzling diamonds, pearls, rubies and other precious stones. After the prayers and traditional worship innumerable varieties of delicious sweets are offered to the deities as "Bhog" and then the devotees approach and take Prasad.

Goddess Lakshmi is worshiped in every Hindu household. In many Hindu homes it is a custom for the wife to put the red tilak on the forehead of her husband, garland him and do his "Aarti" with a prayer for his long life. In appreciation of all the tender care that the wife showers on him, the husband gives her a costly gift. This Gudi Padwa is symbolic of love and devotion between the wife and husband. On this day newly married daughters with their husbands are invited for special meals and given presents. Deepavali celebration is a very happy occasion for all.

Deepavali Festival Dates - 2011, 2012 and 2013

Festival	Deepavali 2011	Diwali 2012	Deepawali 2013
Dhanteras / Dhanwantari Trayodashi	24 October, 2011	11 November, 2012	01 November, 2013
Naraka Chaturdashi	25 October, 2011	12 November, 2012	02 November, 2013
Lakshmi Puja	26 October, 2011	13 November, 2012	03 November, 2013
Padwa & Govardhan Puja	27 October, 2011	14 November, 2012	04 November, 2013
Bhai Duj/ Sodara Bidige	28 October, 2011	15 November, 2012	05 November, 2013

May the festival of lights be the harbinger of joy and prosperity. As the holy occasion of Diwali is here and the atmosphere is filled with the spirit of mirth and love, here's hoping this festival of beauty brings your way, bright sparkles of contentment, that stay with you through the days ahead.
Best wishes on Diwali and New year.

Soul

2011-10-16T23:21:00.000+04:00

Who are you?

YOU ARE NOT THE BODY BUT A SOUL COVERED IN A MATERIAL BODY.

This is the main teaching of the Bhagavad-Gita.

“As the embodied soul continously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober person is not bewildered by such a change.” Lord Krishna, Bg. 2.13

You are a soul covered by a material body.

Your are bewildered by maya, the illusion of identifying the self with the body.

In this material body you will suffer the pangs of birth, old age, disease, and death.

You will reincarnate from body to body, life after life. At death you will take on another body in the animal kingdom, or again in the human species. What your next body will be is dependent on your karmic actions (good and bad actions) taken in life.

Just as we change worn out clothes, furniture, cars, shoes, houses, jobs, and even partners. We will change our body at death. Just as a manufacturing company designs products today to make tomorrow. You are designing your next body today with your current actions.

There are 8.4 Million different material bodies that the individual soul keeps circulating in. So don’t get too attached to this body.

Once again you are “too busy” in eating, sleeping, mating, and making a career. Once again you have “no time” to enquire into the absolute truth. Once again you cling to temporary material enjoyment in your short life span. You keep running like mad after the mirages in the desert, castles made of sand, and the gifts of Santa Claus. (Mirages are seeing things which are not there, castles made of sand take hours to make but come down with a single blow, and there is no Santa Claus).

Most people are very busy in the Modern Lifestyle of partying, discoing, meat eating, intoxication, and relationships. While engaging in these demonic activities, you forget the naked truth of death, which you will have to meet.

Like animals, you do not realize that you are going to be slaughtered, by the laws of nature. You are busy in material enjoyment, the so-called jolly life, but actually you are like the chickens, cows, and goats waiting in the slaughterhouse. Death is certain and it can take you at anytime. At death, the laws of nature will act, and will you get another body according to your work.

Human birth is rare and now that you have attained a human form of life, you should utilize your developed consciousness to inquire into the Absolute Truth. Yet most humans engage in the life style of eating, sleeping, mating and defending, which is available even in the animal kingdom without the hassle of nine-to-five jobs, marital problems, medical operations, and the bother of tax returns.

A person in the mode of goodness knows that death is born along with his birth. He knows that he is dying at every second. He therefore prepares himself for the next life or for liberation from the cycle of birth and death all together. He enquries: Who am I ? Where have I come from? Where am I going after this life?

An ignorant person is ‘too busy’ with materialist life, satisfying only his genetals and belly. He forgets that death is certain and just around the corner.

Human or animal consciousness?

If you simply eat, sleep, mate, and enjoy material life. Then you are no different from the animals. The animals also eat, sleep, mate, and enjoy material life. In fact, if you simply want to engage in these activities, then you are better off in the animal kingdom. The animals engage in all these activities without the bother of jobs, bills, marital problems and other humanly conditions of life.

Those humans who spent their life simply eating, sleeping, mating, and enjoying material life will be upgraded to a higher level at death. So they can continue with these activities but without the hassle of jobs, bills, marital problems and other humanly conditions of life in their next life. They will be born in the animal kingdom. God is very fair and merciful, he satisfies all our desires. If you behave like an animal then you will be one in your next life, at your own request.

The difference between human and animal consciousness is that humans are inquisitive.

Real human beings enquire:

Who am I?
Where have I come from?
Where am I going after this life?
Who exactly is God?
How can I escape from the cycle of birth, old age, disease, and death?
How can I become immortal?

Animals do not enquire. They simply eat, sleep, mate, and enjoy material life.

Humans are compassionate, they always think of others. The animals mind their own business and don’t think of others.

Humans are charitable. It is the duty of every human being to perform welfare activities for the benefit of those who are less fortunate with their wealth, intelligence, and words. The animals are not charitable; they simply enjoy everything for them selves.

Are you human or animal?

Human birth is rare - don't waste it.

The Scientific Theory of Evolution – Charles Darwin Theory

Charles Darwin is famous worldwide for his evolutionary theory. According to his theory, one species evolved into another. Thus one body changes into another. We evolved from the animals, our closet relatives in the animal kingdom are the monkeys.

The Vedic Theory of Evolution

The Vedic scriptures also state an evolutionary process, but the definition is different from that of Charles Darwin. There are 8.4 million different species of living beings in the whole of creation as follows:

900,000 species of aquatic.
2,000,000 species of plants.
1,100,000 species of insects.
1,000,000 species of birds.
3,000,000 species of beasts.
400,000 species of human beings

All these species were created by God and like Charles Darwin’s theory; we also evolved from the animals but not by changing the same body, but by transmigration of the soul from one body to another.

Changing bodies from birth to death, and the evolution of 8,400,000 species.

Transmigration Of The Soul From One Body To The Next

Every living being is a soul (including plants and animals) covered in a material body. The soul takes one body then quits it to take another and so on. Going through all the various species in the plant and animal kingdom (8 million) and then finally taking a human body. The human body is the highest and most elevated of all bodies.

Once we attain the human body, if we misuse or fail to utilize the higher consciousness then we again fall down in the plant and animal kingdom. Then again we have to go through the evolutionary process, moving from one body to the next in the plant and animal kingdom for 8 million births before we get another human birth.

“As the embodied soul continuously passes, in the body from childhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober person is not bewildered by such a change.” Lord Krishna (Bg. 2.13)

“As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.” Lord Krishna (Bg. 2.22)

What Do the Non-Vedic Religions Say About Evolution

The one-man made religions, Christianity and Islam, do not believe in an evolutionary process. The Muslims and Christians believe we only live once, thus this is the only life. They believe in resurrection. At death we are buried and we have to wait in our grave for the Day of Judgment on which day God either sends us to heaven forever, or hell forever. The humans have a soul but the plants and animals do not. They are simply created as food for the humans.

The Vedic scriptures state that even the plants and animals can go to the kingdom of God, but they have to wait for their human incarnation. If one lives a sincere life regardless of his religion, he will slowly be elevated in spiritual life which will one day lead to liberation from the cycle of birth and death and thus attain the kingdom of God. There is overwhelming evidence to support the Vedic theory of evolution, thus transmigration of the soul from one body to the next, reincarnation.

The Vedic theory of evolution is very scientific and only differs from Charles Darwin’s theory in terms of the method.

According to the Vedic religion the plants and animals do have a soul and the animals were not created as food for the humans. The animals are made of flesh and blood just like the humans and they do feel pain and have intelligence, just like the humans.

Higher and Lower Life Forms

There are 400,00 different species of human beings. Most of these species are uncivilized.

Within a species of human beings there are many different conditions in which one takes birth into.

Variety of colors:

Born black.
Born white.
Born gray etc..

Within each color of human beings there are different nationalities that one can be born into. Note that until 5000 years ago, there was only one nationality for all the humans in the world, Bharat Varsian. Which means the sons of Bharat or India. Yes, the whole world was called Bharat Versa or India until 5000 years ago.

Born Indian
Born American
Born Chinese
Born Saudi Arabian
Born African etc..

Within each nationality of human beings there are different religions in which one takes birth into. Note that until 5000 years ago, there was only one religion in the whole world, the Vedic religion.

Born Hindu (Vedic)
Born Muslim
Born Christian
Born Jewish etc..

Within each religion that a person is born into there are different health conditions that one takes birth into:

Born healthy
Born diseased

Within each diseased or healthy body that one takes birth into, there are different financial situations:

Born rich
Born poor

Within each financial situation that one takes birth into, there are different family situations that one can take birth into:

Born with loving and caring parents
Born with mean and un-caring parents
Born without a parent (one parent died before your birth)
Born with no parents (both parents died soon after your birth)
Etc….

There are so many other permutations of conditions that one can be born into. Thus a good human birth is extremely rare.

So What Determines Our Next Body and It’s conditions at Birth?

People are mad after sense gratification. When a person considers sense gratification the aim of life, he certainly becomes mad after a materialistic life style and engages in all kinds of sinful activity.

Every person takes birth in a particular country, in a particular city, on a particular street, to a particular mother with a particular religion and financial situation. Exactly according to what the person (the soul) deserves.

“When one dies in the mode of goodness, he attains to the pure higher planets of the great sages. When one dies in the mode of passion, he takes birth among those engaged in fruitive activities; and when one dies in the mode of ignorance, he takes birth in the animal kingdom.” Lord Krishna (Bg. 14.14-15)

“Those situated in the mode of goodness gradually go upward to the higher planets; those in the mode of passion live on the earthly planets; and those in the abominable mode of ignorance go down to the hellish worlds.” Lord Krishna (Bg. 14.18)

Your consciousness at death will determine your next body

“The living entity in the material world carries his different conceptions of life from one body to another as the air carries aromas. Thus he takes one kind of body and again quits it to take another.” Lord Krishna (Bg. 15.8)

“Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail.” Lord Krishna (Bg. 8.6)

Life on all Planets is Miserable

“From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one who attains to my abode, O son of Kunté, never takes birth again.” Lord Krishna (Bg. 8.16)

So how do we become totally Happy and free from all miserable conditions?

First you need to know what is real happiness. Becoming free from the cycle of birth and death, and free from all diseases is real and everlasting happiness. This means taking birth in the spiritual universe called Vaikuntha. You cannot go to the spiritual universe with your present body, only when you quit it and also if you have the qualifications to enter it.

“That supreme abode of mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by fire or electricity. Those who reach it never return to this material world.” Lord Krishna (Bg. 15.6)

“That which the Vedäntists describe as unmanifest and infallible, that which is known as the supreme destination, that place from which, having attained it, one never returns-that is My supreme abode.” Lord Krishna (Bg. 8.21)

How Can We Enter The Kingdom Of God?

“One can understand me as I am, as the supreme personality of Godhead, only by devotional service. And when, by such devotion, one is fully conscious of me, one can enter into the kingdom of God.” Lord Krishna (Bg. 18.55)

“Whoever, at the end of life, quits his body remembering me alone at once attains my nature without a doubt.” Lord Krishna (Bg. 8.5)

The Regulative Principles For Human Beings

It’s not easy to give up a materialist and lusty life style, which most people are engaged in. Controlling the senses is like controlling the wind, which is very difficult. But when you realize that if you waste this rare human birth then you will have to go through the evolutionary process of transmigrating from one body to the next for millions of births before you get another chance of human birth, then it becomes a little easy.

Here are some basic starting points to end a demonic life style.

Stop being a serial killer, become a vegetarian.
Stop behaving like the dogs on the street. No sex before marriage or outside marriage.
Stop losing your consciousness, no intoxications (no drugs, no alcohol etc..).
Don’t speculate on your wealth, stop gambling.

All humans dream of going to the kingdom of God (the spiritual universe).

The non-Vedic religions say it’s ok to kill animals (eat meat). But in the kingdom of God there is no killing. So why don’t you start this practice now?

In the kingdom of God there is no sex, so why don’t you moderate your sex life now?

In the kingdom of God there are no intoxications, then why don’t you stop it now?

In the kingdom of God there is absolutely no speculation, so why don’t you stop speculating now

Don’t satisfy your desires

“A person who is not disturbed by the incessant flow of desires-that enter like rivers into the ocean, which is ever being filled but is always still-can alone achieve peace, and not the man who strives to satisfy such desires. A person who has given up all desires for sense gratification, who lives free from desires, who has given up all sense of proprietorship and is devoid of false ego-he alone can attain real peace.” Lord Krishna (Bg. 2.70-71)

The plants/animals are on a fixed cycle of transmigration from one body to the next in the plant/animal kingdom. They will have to go through 8 million births before they get another human birth. Yes the plants and animals are ex-humans. And most of the humans will be plants and animals in the future.

The humans have been through the 8 million births in the plant and animal kingdoms. But if a human misuses or fails to utilize the higher consciousness, then he (the soul) will once again have to go through the 8 millions births in the plant and animal kingdoms. Only a fool would waste this rare human birth.

Where Will You Be in 50 years Time?

Where you will be in 50 years time is a serious thought to consider now, because you won’t be here.

( from http://www.gitamrta.org/soul.html )

Dharma

2011-10-16T23:08:00.003+04:00

What is Dharma?

What is Dharma? Vedas-The Sole and Ultimate Authority- The Changing Dharma- Dharma In Other Religions- Benefits of the Practice of Dharma -Kinds of Dharma- Fundamentals of Dharma- Non-violence (Ahimsa)- Truth, Purity, Self-control- Varnasrama Dharma (The Four Castes) Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaisya, Sudra- The Four Asramas(Student, house-holder, recluse, renunciate) Brahmacharyasrama, Grihasthasrama, Vanaprasthasrama, Sannyasthasrama -Yuga Dharma- In Satya-Yuga, there was a different set of Dharmas or laws; in Treta-Yuga they changed into another form; in Dvapara Yuga, the Dharmas were different from the Dharmas of other Yugas- From the Bhagavad Gita Some verses with reference to Dharma
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Hindu Dharma
By Swami Shivanada The Divine Life Society, Rishikesh

Silent adorations to the Lord, the Embodiment of Dharma, the Controller and Protector of Dharma and the fountain-head of Dharma. What is Dharma? What is Dharma? Dharma is so called, because it holds: Dharma alone holds the people, etc. The word Dharma is derived from the root DHR- to hold- and its etymological meaning is ‘that which holds’ this world, or the people of the world, or the whole creation from the microcosm to the macrocosm. It is the eternal Divine Law of the Lord. The entire creation is held together and sustained by the All-powerful Law of God. Practice of Dharma, therefore, means recognition of this Law and abidance by it. That which brings well-being to man is Dharma. Dharma supports this world. The people are upheld by Dharma. That which accrues preservation of beings is Dharma. Dharma leads to eternal happiness and immortality. That which is Dharma is verily the Truth. Therefore, whosoever speaks the truth is said to speak Dharma, and whosoever speaks Dharma is said to speak the truth. One and the same thing becomes both. Dharma includes all external deeds, as well as thoughts and other mental practices which tend to elevate the character of a man. Dharma comes from the Divine and leads you to the Divine. Definition of Dharma No language is perfect. There is no proper equivalent word in English for the Sanskrit term Dharma. It is very difficult to define Dharma. Dharma is generally defined as ‘righteousness’ or ‘duty’. Dharma is the principle of righteousness. It is the principle of holiness. It is also the principle of unity. Bhishma says in his instructions to Yudhishthira that whatever creates conflict is Adharma, and whatever puts an end to conflict and brings about unity and harmony is Dharma. Anything that helps to unite all and develop pure divine love and universal brotherhood, is Dharma. Anything that creates discord, split and disharmony and foments hatred, is Adharma.
Dharma is the cementer and sustainer of social life. The rules of Dharma have been laid down for regulating the worldly affairs of men. Dharma brings as its consequence happiness, both in this world and in the next. Dharma is the means of preserving one’s self. If you transgress it, it will kill you. If you protect it, it will protect you. It is your soul companion after death. It is the sole refuge of humanity.
That which elevates one is Dharma. This is another definition. Dharma is that which leads you to the path of perfection and glory. Dharma is that which helps you to have direct communion with the Lord. Dharma is that which makes you divine. Dharma is the ascending stairway unto God. Self-realisation is the highest Dharma. Dharma is the heart of Hindu ethics. God is the centre of Dharma.
Dharma means Achara or the regulation of daily life. Achara is the supreme Dharma. It is the basis of Tapas or austerity. It leads to wealth, beauty, longevity and continuity of lineage. Evil conduct and immorality will lead to ill-fame, sorrow, disease and premature death. Dharma has its root in morality the controller of Dharma is God Himself.
Maharshi Jaimini defines Dharma as that which is enjoined by the Vedas and is not ultimately productive of suffering.
Rishi Kanada, founder of the Vaiseshika system of philosophy, has given the best definition of Dharma, in his Vaiseshika Sutras:
"That which leads to the attainment of Abhyudaya (prosperity in this world) and Nihsreyasa (total cessation of pain and attainment of eternal bliss hereafter) is Dharma".
Vedas-The Sole and Ultimate Authority
The four Vedas, the Smriti texts, the behaviour of those who have entered into their spirit (the spirit of the Vedas) and act according to their injunctions, the conduct of holy men and satisfaction of one’s own self- these are the bases of Dharma.
In the matter of Dharma, the Vedas are the ultimate authority. You cannot know the truth about Dharma through any source of knowledge other than the Vedas. Reason cannot be the authority in the matter of Dharma. Among the scriptures of the world, the Vedas are the oldest. This is supported by all leading scholars and antiquarians of the entire civilised world. They all declare with one voice, that of all books, so far written in any human language, the Rig-Veda Samhita is undoubtedly the oldest. No antiquarian has been able to fix the date when the Rig-Veda Samhita was composed or came to light.
The Changing Dharma
Just as a doctor prescribes different medicines for different people according to their constitution and the nature of their disease, so also Hinduism prescribes different duties for different people. Rules for women are different from the rules for men. The rules for different Varnas (castes) and Ashramas (the four stages of life) vary. But, non-violence, truth, non-stealing, cleanliness and control of the senses, are the duties common to all men.
Dharma depends upon time, circumstances, age, degree of evolution and the community to which one belongs. The Dharma of this century is different from that of the tenth century.
There are conditions under which Dharma may change its usual course. Apad-Dharma (apad = distress) )is such a deviation from the usual practice. This is allowed only in times of extreme distress or calamity.
What is Dharma in one set of circumstances becomes Adharma in another set of circumstances. That is the reason why it is said that the secret of Dharma is extremely profound and subtle. Lord Krishna says in the Gita: "Let the scriptures be the authority in determining what ought to be done and what ought not to be done" - Gita, Ch.16- 24). The truth of Dharma lies hidden. Srutis and Smritis are many. The way of Dharma (which is) open to all is that which a great realised soul has traversed.
Dharma In Other Religions
All other religions also lay stress on Dharma. Buddhism, Jainism, Christianity, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism and Islam are all remarkably alive to its value. Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, Kant, Swedenborg and Spinoza are all striking examples in the interesting history of Western philosophy for the high pedestal on which they have placed morality, duty and righteousness, and adored them all as the only means to the attainment of the goal of life. Each religion lays greater stress on certain aspects of Dharma.
Benefits of the Practice of Dharma
Of the four grand objects of human aspirations ( Purusharthas), viz., Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha, Dharma is given the foremost rank in the scriptures. Dharma alone is the gateway to Moksha, to immortality, infinite bliss, supreme peace and highest knowledge. Dharma alone is the primary Purushartha. Dharma is the first and foremost Purushartha. Through the practice of Dharma alone can you ever hope to achieve the crowning glory of all human endeavours, viz., Moksha (liberation) which is the best and the highest of all desirable things.
Practice of Dharma leads to the perfect realisation of essential unity or the final end, the highest good, namely, Moksha (liberation). The practitioner experiences peace, joy, strength and tranquillity within himself. His life becomes thoroughly disciplined. His powers and capacities are exceedingly intensified. He realises that there is one underlying homogeneous essence, a living truth, behind these names and forms. He is transmuted into divinity. His whole nature gets transformed. He becomes one with the Eternal. He beholds Brahman (the Supreme Reality) above, Brahman below, Brahman to the right, Brahman to the left, Brahman in front, Brahman at the back, Brahman within, Brahman without and Brahman pervading the whole world.

Kinds of Dharma
Dharma can be classified under two heads:
Samanya or the general, universal Dharma
Visesha or the specific, personal Dharma.
1.Contentment, 2.forgiveness, 3.self-restraint, 4.non-stealing, 5.purity, 6.control of senses, 7.discrimination between right and wrong, as also between the real and the unreal, 8. spiritual knowledge, 9.truthfulness and 10.absence of anger come under the general or universal Dharma.
The rules of the castes and orders of life are specific Dharmas. These are the tenfold characteristics of Dharma according to Manu.
Dharma assumes various kinds: Sanatana Dharma (Eternal Law), Samanya Dharma (general duty), Visesha Dharma (special duty), Varnashrama Dharma (duties of caste and Order), Svadharma (one’s own duty), Yuga Dharma (duty of the age or period in history), Kula Dharma ((duty of family), Manava Dharma (duty of man), Purusha Dharma (duty of male), Stri Dharma (duty of female), Raja Dharma (duty of king), Praja Dharma (duty of subjects), Pravritti Dharma (duty in worldly life) and Nivritti Dharma (duty in spiritual life).

Sanatan Dharma

Sanatana Dharma means the Eternal religion, the Ancient Law. This is based on the Vedas. This is the oldest of living religions. Hinduism is known by the name Sanatana Dharma. What the Vedas alone declare to be the means of attaining the summum bonum or the final emancipation, is the Sanatana Dharma or Hindu Dharma.
The foundation of Sanatana Dharma is Sruti (Vedas); Smritis are the walls; the Itihasas and the Puranas are the buttresses or supports. [Note: See Page "Hindu Scriptures"]. In ancient times, the Srutis were learnt by heart. The teacher sang them to his pupils and the pupils sang them after him. They were not written in book form. All the sects, all the philosophical systems, appeal to (look upon) the Sruti as the final authority. The Smriti stands next in authority to the Sruti.
Hinduism stands unrivalled in the depth and grandeur of its philosophy. Its ethical teachings are lofty, unique and sublime. It is highly flexible and adapted to every human need. It is a perfect religion by itself. It is not in need of anything from any other religion. No other religion has produced so many great saints, great patriots, great warriors and great Pativratas. The more you know of it, the more you will honour and love it. The more you study it, the more it will enlighten you and satisfy your heart.

India – The Home Of Religions

The religious history of the world tells us that from time immemorial, India has been the home of great sages, seers and Rishis. All the great religious ideals that have moulded the character of men, the loftiest tenets of ethics and morality that have raised human beings to magnanimous heights of divine splendour and all the sublime truths of spirituality that have made men divine and have moulded the spiritual ideals of nations and saviours of mankind, first arose in India. The spiritual horizon of India has always been illumined with the glory of the self-effulgent sun of wisdom of the Upanishads. Whenever there was any upheaval in any part of the world, the origin of this could be traced to the wave of spirituality caused by the birth of a great soul- a special manifestation of Divinity- in some part of India.
Hindus have had a culture, civilisation and religion millennia older than those of any other country or people. God did speak to the world through India’s Rishis, Yogis, Mahatmas, Alvars, prophets, Acharyas, Sannyasins and saints. Their teachings are really inspired. God is the one Light and Truth from whom emanate the teachings of all faiths.
India is the home and abode of religions. It occupies the proud first place in religious devotion and godliness. It is famous for its Yogis and saints. The goal of India is Self-realisation or attainment of God-consciousness, through renunciation. The history of India is a history of religion. Its social code and regulations are founded upon religion. Minus its Yoga, religion and its regulations, and India will not be what it has been for millennia. Some Hindus are still not aware of the distinguishing features of Sanatana Dharma. If every Hindu knew and understood what Hinduism is, the Hindus of today would all be gods on this earth.
May you all be endowed with the knowledge of Sanatana Dharma! May you all endeavour to protect the Eternal Dharma! May the secrets of Sanatana Dharma be revealed unto you all, like a fruit in the palm of your hand, through the grace of the Lord! May the blessings of Rishis be upon you all! Glory to the Vedas and Sanatana Dharma! Glory to Brahman (Supreme Reality), the source of all Vedas and Sanatana Dharma.

Samanya Dharma

Every religion has a generic form or Samanya Rupa and a specific form or Visesha-Rupa. The general form remains eternally the same. It is never changed by any circumstance whatever. It is not affected at all by changes of time, place, surroundings and individual differences. This aspect of religion is called Sanatana or Eternal. That which changes according to the change of time, place and surrounding circumstances is the external aspect or ritual, of Dharma.
Samanya Dharma is the general Dharma or law for all men. Varnasrama Dharma are special Dharmas which are to be practised by particular castes and by men in particular stages of life. The Samanya Dharma must be practised by all, irrespective of distinctions of Varna and Asrama, creed or colour. Goodness is not the property of any one class, creed, sect or community. Every man possesses this virtue.

Fundamentals of Dharma
The Vishnu Samhita enumerates forgiveness, truthfulness, control of the mind, purity, practice of charity, control of the senses, non-violence, service of the Guru, visiting places of pilgrimage, compassion, simplicity, absence of greed, worship of the gods and the Brahmanas, and absence of malice as the ingredients of Samanya Dharma, the general law for all men.
The Mahabharata enumerates as the fundamentals of Dharma:
1.The performance of Sraddha or offering oblations to the forefathers, 2.Religious austerity, 3.Truth, 4.Restraint of anger, 5.Satisfaction with one’s wife, 6.purity, 7.Learning, 8.Absence of envy, 9.Knowledge of the Self and 10.Forbearance
It is said in Padma Purana that Dharma proceeds from continence, truthfulness, austerity, charity, self-control, forbearance, purity, non-violence, serenity and non-thieving and that one should recognise Dharma by these ten factors. According to this Purana, bestowing gifts on deserving persons, fixing one’s thoughts on Lord Krishna, adoration of one’s parents, offering a portion of the daily meal to all creatures and giving a morsel of food to a cow are the characteristics of Dharma.
According to Matsya Purana, freedom from malice, absence of covetousness, control of the senses, austerity, celibacy, compassion, truthfulness, forbearance and fortitude constitute the fundamentals of Sanatana Dharma.
Patanjali Maharshi, the exponent of Raja Yoga philosophy, recommends that ten virtues should be practised by all men. The first five are: Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (truthfulness), Brahmacharya (celibacy in thought, word and deed), Asteya (non-stealing) and Aparigraha (non-covetousness). These constitute Yama or self-restraint. The other five virtues are: Saucha (internal and external purity), Santosha (contentment), Tapas (austerity), Svadhyaya (study of scriptures or recitation of Mantra) and Isvarpranidhana (consecration of the fruits of all works to the Lord). These constitute Niyama or religious observance.
The Gita enumerates the following virtues as Daivi-Sampat or divine qualities: fearlessness, purity of heart, steadfastness in the Yoga of Wisdom, alms-giving, self-restraint, sacrifice, study of the scriptures, austerity, straightforwardness, harmlessness, truth, absence of wrath, renunciation, peacefulness, absence of crookedness, compassion to living beings, non-covetousness, mildness, modesty, absence of fickleness, vigour, forgiveness, purity and absence of envy and pride. All these virtues are manifestations of the four fundamental virtues:

1. Non-violence, 2. Truth, 3.Purity, 4.Self-control

All the above virtues come under the above four cardinal virtues. The virtues that are enumerated under the Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism and the virtues prescribed by Lord Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount, also come under the above fundamental virtues.
The development of the divine qualities is indispensable for the attainment of Self-realisation. Brahman or the Eternal is purity. The Eternal cannot be attained without the attainment of purity. Brahman is Truth. The Eternal cannot be attained without practising truth. Brahman is fearlessness. The Eternal cannot be attained unless you become absolutely fearless. Attachment to the body causes fear and Dehadhyasa. If only you become fearless, then the identification with the body will vanish.
You have rendered the heart harder than flint, steel or diamond through greed, miserliness, harshness and rudeness. You can soften it only through the practice of mercy, sympathy, charity, generosity, magnanimity, harmlessness, mildness, disinterested action and untiring service of the poor. You have made the heart crooked and narrow through hypocrisy, untruthfulness, backbiting and tale-bearing. You can expand it through the practice of straightforwardness, truthfulness, purity of heart, alms-giving and non-covetousness. You have rendered the heart impure through lust. You can purify it through the practice of celibacy in thought, word and deed.

Non-violence

Ahimsa or non-violence is the most important virtue. That is the reason why Patanjali Maharshi has placed it first in Yama. Practice of Ahimsa must be in thought, word and deed. Practice of Ahimsa is not impotence or cowardice or weakness. It is the highest type of heroism. The practice demands immense patience, forbearance and endurance, infinite inner spiritual strength and gigantic will-power.
Ahimsa is a modification or expression of truth only. Satyam (truth) and Ahimsa always go together. He who is established in Ahimsa can move the whole world. In his presence, all hostilities vanish; lion and cow, cobra and mongoose, live together peacefully.
[Note: In support of this statement of Swami Shivananda, we cite the example from the life of Sri Ramana Maharshi as observed by the Scottish scientist Alick McInnes. The following extract is taken from the book "The Secret Life of Plants" by Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird. Chapter titled ‘Dowsing Plants for Health’. The book was first published in 1973. :
"In South India, Alick McInnes, a Scottish scientist, witnessed the strange spectacle of Sri Raman Maharshi on his evening walk. Within seconds of his leaving his house, cattle tied up in stalls in the village half a mile away would struggle to get out of their ties. When released they careered along the road to accompany the old man on his walk, followed by all the dogs and children of the village. Before the procession had gone very far wild animals and even snakes joined it from the jungle. Thousands of birds appeared, almost blotting out the sky. There were tiny tits, huge kites, heavy-winged vultures and other birds of prey, all flying in harmony around the Maharshi on his walk. When he returned to his room, said McInnes, all the birds, animals and children would quietly disappear."
-From the book "The Secret Life of Plants" by Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird.]
We continue below with Swami Shivananda’s explanations on the topic of ‘Non-violence’ :
Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism lay great stress on Ahimsa. Lord Jesus also has emphasised much on Ahimsa in his Sermon on the Mount. He says: "If any one beats you on one cheek, show him the other cheek also".
He who is firmly established in Ahimsa can hope to attain Self-realisation. He who practises Ahimsa develops cosmic love to a maximum degree. Practice of Ahimsa eventually leads to realisation of oneness or unity of Self. Such a man only can attain self-restraint. Retaliation – tooth for tooth, blow for blow – is the maxim, doctrine or principle of an Asura or a man of diabolic nature. This belongs to the beastly nature. To return good for evil is divine. Constant vigilance and alertness are needed in the practice of Ahimsa. If you are careless even a little bit, you will be carried away by the force of previous wrong Samskara (impression or tendency) and impulses and will become a victim of Himsa (violence), despite your good intentions.

Truth

Brahman (the Supreme Reality) is Sat or Existence-Absolute. Truth must be observed in thought, word and deed. If you are established in truth, all other virtues will cling to you by themselves. Harishchandra sacrificed everything for the sake of truth. He lives still in our hearts. Yudhishthira was also devoted to truth. There is no virtue higher than truth. Practice of truth and Ahimsa constitute the crown and glory of ethical life. In the Taittiriya Upanishad, the preceptor says in his convocation address to the students: "Satyam vada"-Speak the truth. The world is rooted in truth. Dharma is rooted in truth. All religions are rooted in truth. Honesty, justice, straightforwardness and sincerity are only modifications or expressions of truth.

Purity

Purity comprises both external purity and internal purity. Purity implies both purity of body and purity of mind. Purity of body is only the preliminary to purity of mind.
The body is the temple of God. It should be kept clean by daily bathing and clean dress. Cleanliness is a part of godliness.
The restriction in diet is best calculated to make the mind pure. Food exercises a direct influence on the mind. Sattvic food makes the mind pure. Purity of food leads to purity of mind. Mind is only made up of the fine essence of food. As the food is, so is the mind.
You must be pure in thought, word and deed. Your heart must be as pure as crystal; as pure as the Himalayan snow. Then only the divine light will descend. Purity comprises such virtues as frankness, innocence, straightforwardness and absence of all evil thoughts. He who is endowed with purity will find it easy to tread the spiritual path.

Self-control

You must have perfect self-control or self-mastery. Self-control implies both control of the body and control of the mind. Self-control does not mean self-torture. You must lead a well-regulated and disciplined life. You must keep all the senses under your perfect control. The senses are like turbulent and wild horses. This body is like a chariot. Mind is the reins. Intellect is the driver. The Atman is the Lord of the chariot. If the senses are not kept under proper control, they will throw this chariot into a deep abyss. You will come to ruin. He who keeps the reins firm and drives this chariot intelligently by controlling the horses (senses), will reach the destination (Moksha or the abode of Eternal Bliss) safely.
Self-control implies self-sacrifice, annihilation of egoism, patience, endurance, forbearance and humility. Overcome Raga or attachment by Vairagya or dispassion. Dispassion will dawn in your mind if you look into the defects of sensual life such as birth, death, disease, old age, pain, sorrow, etc. (Mithya-Drishti and Dosha-Drishti). Overcome anger and hatred by Kshama or forgiveness, love and selfless service. Overcome evil by good. Return good for evil. Overcome lust by the practice of Brahmacharya and regular Japa (repetition of Mantra or Lord’s name) and meditation. Conquer greed by charity, generosity and disinterested actions. Conquer pride by humility and delusion by discrimination and enquiry. Overcome jealousy by magnanimity, Atma-Bhava and nobility. Conquer egoism by self-sacrifice, self-surrender, self-abnegation and meditation on the non-dual, eternal, self-luminous Brahman, thy innermost Self, the Inner Ruler, the immortal.
May you all attain eternal bliss and immortality through the practice of the cardinal virtues or the fundamental Dharma.

Varnasrama Dharma
The principle of Varnasrama Dharma is one of the basic principles of Hinduism. The Varnasrama system is peculiar to Hindus. It is a characteristic feature of Hinduism. It is also prevalent throughout the world according to Guna-Karma (aptitude and conduct), though there is no such distinct denomination of this kind, elsewhere.
The duties of the castes are Varna Dharma. The four castes are Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaisya and Sudra. The duties of the stages of life are Asrama Dharma. The four Asramas or orders of life are Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanprastha and Sannyasa.

The Principle (of Varnasrama Dharma)

Human society is like a huge machine. The individuals and communities are like its parts. If the parts are weak and broken, the machine will not work. A machine is nothing without its parts. The human body also can work efficiently if its parts and organs are in sound and strong condition. If there is pain in any part of the body, if there is disease in any organ or part of the body, this human machine will go out of order. It will not perform its usual function or work.
So is the case with the human society. Every individual should perform his duties efficiently. The Hindu Rishis and sages formed an ideal scheme of society and an ideal way of individual life, which is known by the name Varnasrama Dharma. Hinduism is built on Varnasrama Dharma. The structure of the Hindu society is based on Varnasrama Dharma. Observance of Varnasrama Dharma helps one’s growth and self-evolution. It is very indispensable. If the rules are violated, the society will soon perish.
The aim of Varnasrama Dharma is to promote the development of the universal, eternal Dharma. If you defend Dharma, it will defend you. If you destroy it, it will destroy you. Therefore, never destroy your Dharma. This principle holds true of the individual as much as of the nation. It is Dharma alone which keeps a nation alive. Dharma is the very soul of man. Dharma is the very soul of a nation also.
In the West and in the whole world also, there is Varnasrama, though it is not rigidly observed there. Some Western philosophers have made a division of three classes, viz., Philosophers, Warriors and Masses. The philosophers correspond to the Brahmanas, warriors to Kshatriyas and the masses to Vaisyas and Sudras. This system is indispensable to keep the society in a state of perfect harmony and order.

The Four Castes

In Purusha-Sukta of the Rig-Veda, there is reference to the division of Hindu society into the classes. It is described there that the Brahmanas came out of the face of the Lord the Creator, Kshatriyas from His arms, Vaisyas from His thighs, and the Sudras from His feet.
The division is according to the Guna and Karma. Guna (quality) and Karma (kind of work) determine the caste of a man. This is supported by Lord Krishna in the Gita, also. Lord Krishna says in the Gita: "The four castes were emanated by Me, by the different distribution of qualities and actions. Know Me to be the author of them, though the actionless and inexhaustible""(Ch.4-13).
There are three qualities or Gunas, viz., Sattva (purity), Rajas (passion), and Tamas (inertia). Sattva is white, Rajas is red and Tamas is black. These three qualities are found in man in various proportions. Sattva preponderates in some persons. They are Brahmanas. They are wise persons or thinkers. They are the priests, ministers or philosophers who guide kings or rulers. In some persons, Rajas is predominant. They are Kshatriyas and Vaisyas. The Kshatriyas are warriors or men of action. They fight with the enemies or invaders and defend the country. The Vaisyas are traders. They do business and agriculture and amass wealth. In some persons, Tamas is predominant. They are Sudras. Sudras are the servants. None of these qualities is highly developed in the Sudras. They serve the other three castes. In a broad sense, a Sattvic man, who is pious and virtuous and leads the divine life, is a Brahmana, a Rajasic man with heroic quality is a Kshatriya, a Rajasic man with business tendencies is a Vaisya and a Tamasic man is a Sudra.
Serenity, self-restraint, austerity, purity, forgiveness, and also, uprightness, knowledge, realisation and belief in God are the duties of the Brahmanas, born of their own nature. Prowess, splendour, firmness, dexterity, and also, not flying from battle, generosity and lordliness are the duties of the Kshatriyas, born of their own nature. Agriculture, cattle rearing and trade are the duties of the Vaisyas, born of their own nature. And action consisting of service is the duty of the Sudra, born of their own nature.

The Law of Spiritual Economics

The underlying principle of caste system or Varna Dharma is division of labour. Rishis studied human nature carefully. They came to the conclusion that all men were not equally fit for all kinds of work. Hence, they found it necessary to allocate different kinds of duties to different classes of people, according to their aptitude, capacity or quality. The Brahmanas were in charge of spiritual and intellectual affairs. The work of political administration and defense was given to the Kshatriyas. The Vaisyas were entrusted with the duty of supplying food for the nation and administering its economic welfare. The Sudras did menial work. The Rishis felt all these needs of the Hindu nation and implemented the system of Varna and Asramas.
This division of labour began in Vedic times The Vedas taught that the Brahmana was the brain of the society, the Kshatriya its arms, the Vaisya its stomach, and the Sudra its feet.
There was a quarrel between the senses, the mind and the Prana (life-force or vital -energy or life- breath) as to who was superior. There was a quarrel amongst the different organs and the stomach. If the hands quarrel with the stomach; the entire body will suffer. When Prana departed from the body, all the organs suffered. The head or stomach cannot claim its superiority over the feet or hands. The hands and the feet are as much important as the stomach or head. If there is quarrel between the different castes as to which is superior, then the entire social fabric will suffer. There will be disharmony, rupture and discord. A scavenger and a barber are as much important as a minister for the running of the society. The social edifice is built on the law of spiritual economics. It has nothing to do with superiority or inferiority. Each class contributes its best to the common weal or world-solidarity. There is no question of higher and lower here.

Character Determines Caste

A Brahmana (Brahmin or priest) is no Brahmana if he is not endowed with purity and good character, and if he leads a life of dissipation and immorality. A Sudra is a Brahmana if he leads a virtuous and pious life. What a great soul was Vidura! What a noble, candid, straightforward student was Satyakama Jabala of Chhandogya Upanishad! Caste is a question of character. Varna is not the colour of the skin, but the colour of one’s character or quality. Conduct and character count and not lineage alone. If one is Brahmana by birth and, at the same time, if he possesses the virtues of a Brahmana, it is extremely good, because certain virtuous qualifications only determine the birth of a Brahmana.

Use and Abuse of the Caste System

The Hindus have survived many a foreign conquest on account of their caste system. But they have developed class jealousies and hatred in the name of the caste system. They have not got the spirit of co-operation. That is the reason why they are weak and disunited today. They have become sectarians in the name of the caste system. Hence there is degradation in India.
The caste system is, indeed, a splendid thing. It is quite flawless. But the defect came in from somewhere else. The classes gradually neglected their duties. The test of ability and character slowly vanished. Birth became the chief consideration in determining castes. All castes fell from their ideals and forgot all about their duties. Brahmanas became selfish and claimed superiority over others by mere birth, without possessing due qualifications. The Kshatriyas lost their chivalry and spirit of sacrifice. The vaisyas became very greedy. They did not earn wealth by honest means. They did not look after the economic welfare of the people. They did not give charity. They also lost the spirit of sacrifice. Sudras gave up service. They became officers. They wished that others should serve them. The greed and pride of man have created discord and disharmony.
There is nothing wrong in Varnasrama. It is arrogance and haughtiness in men that have brought troubles. Man or the little Jiva (individual soul) is imperfect. He is full of defects. He is simply waiting for claiming superiority over others. The Brahmana thinks that the other three castes are inferior to him. The Kshatriya thinks that the Vaisya and Sudra are inferior to him. A rich Sudra thinks that he is superior to a poor Brahmana or poor Kshatriya or Vaisya.

The Four Asramas
There are four Asramas or stages of life, viz., Brahmacharya, or the period of studentship, Grihastha or the stage of the householder, Vanaprastha or the stage of the forest-dweller or hermit, and Sannyasa or the life of renunciation or asceticism. Each stage has its own duties. These stages help the evolution of man. The four Asramas take man to perfection by successive stages. The practice of the four Asramas regulates the life from the beginning to the end. The first two Asramas pertain to Pravritti Marga or the path of work and the two later stages- the life of Vanaprastha and that of Sannayasa- are the stages of withdrawal from the world. They pertain to Nivritti Marga or the path of renunciation.

Towards Orderly Spiritual Evolution

Life is very systematically and orderly arranged in Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism). There is opportunity for the development of the different sides of human activity. Due occupations and training are assigned to each period of life. Life is a great school in which the powers, capacities and faculties of man are to be evolved gradually.
Every man should pass through the different Asramas regularly. He should not enter any stage of life prematurely. He can enter the next stage, only when each has been completed. In nature, evolution is gradual. It is not revolutionary.
Lord Manu says in his Smriti:
"Having studied the Vedas or two Vedas or even one Veda in due order without breaking celibacy, let him dwell in the householder order. When the householder sees wrinkles in his skin and whiteness in his hair and the son of his son, then let him retire to the forest. Having passed the third portion of life in the forests, let him, having abandoned attachments, wander as an ascetic in the fourth portion of life".
In extraordinary cases, however, some of the stages may be omitted. Suka was a born Sannyasin. Sankara took Sannyasa without entering the stage of a householder. In rare and exceptional cases, a student is allowed to become a Sannyasin, his debts to the world having been fully paid in a previous birth. Nowadays, young Sannyasins without qualification are found in abundance. This is contrary to the ancient rules and causes much trouble.
The Brahmachari or the Celibate Student
The first stage, Brahmacharya, is the period of study and discipline. The student should not indulge in any pleasures. He stays in the house of his preceptor (or dormitories for students) and studies the Vedas and the sciences. This is the period of probation. The teachers in ancient India usually lived in forest hermitages. These hermitages were the Gurukulas or forest universities. The student begged for his food. The children of the rich and the poor lived together. The student regarded his teacher as his spiritual father and served him with faith, devotion and reverence.
The life of a student begins with the Upanayana ceremony, his second birth (born again or twice born or Dwija). He must be hardy and simple in his habits. He rises early, bathes and does Sandhya and Gayatri Japa. He studies scriptures. He takes simple food in moderation and takes plenty of exercise. He sleeps on a hard mat and does not use soft beds and pillows. He is humble and obedient. He serves and respects elders. He attempts to be chaste in thought, word and deed.
He ever (always) engages himself in doing services to his preceptor. He refrains from wine, meat, perfumes, garlands, tasty and savoury dishes, acids, spices. He refrains from women, and from injury to sentient creatures. He refrains from lust, anger, greed, dancing, singing and playing on musical instruments; from dice-playing, gossip, slander and untruth. He sleeps alone.
After the end of his student career, he gives a present to his preceptor according to his ability and returns home to enter the household life. The preceptor gives the final instruction and sends the student home. The teacher delivers a convocation address to the students at the conclusion of their studentship:
"Speak the truth. Do your duty. Never swerve from the study of the Veda. Do not cut off the line of progeny. Give the preceptor the fees he desires. Never swerve away from truth. Never swerve from duty. Never neglect your welfare. Never neglect your prosperity. Never neglect the study and the teaching of the Vedas.
Never swerve from the duties to the gods and the forefathers. Regard your mother as a Goddess (Matri Devo Bhava). Regard your father as a god (Pitri Devo Bhava). Regard your teacher as a god (Acharya Devo Bhava). Regard your guest as a god (Atithi Devo Bhava). Let only those actions that are free from blemishes be done and not others. Only those that are good acts to us should be performed by you and not others.
You should remove the fatigue of Brahmanas who are superior to you by serving them with seats (offering them seats) etc. Gift should be given with faith, in plenty, with modesty and sympathy. If there be any doubt regarding rites or conduct, then look up to the lives of great men and follow their examples. This is the injunction. This is the teaching. This is the secret of the Vedas. This is God’s word of command. This should be observed. Thus is this to be meditated upon."

The Grihastha or the Householder

The second stage is that of the Grihastha or householder. The household stage is entered at marriage, when the student has completed his studentship and is ready to take up the duties and responsibilities of household life. Of all the Asramas, this is the most important, because it supports all the others. As all creatures live supported by the air, so the other Orders exist supported by the householder. As all streams and rivers flow to rest in the ocean, so all the Asramas flow to rest in the householder. The Grihastha is the very heart of Aryan life. Everything depends on him.
Marriage is a sacrament for a Hindu. The wife is his partner in life. She is his Ardhangini (partner in life). He cannot do any religious ritual without her. She stands by his left side when he performs any religious performance. Husband and wife keep Rama and Sita as their ideal.
A householder should earn money by honest means and distribute it in the proper manner. He should spend one-tenth of his income in charity. He should enjoy sensual pleasures within the limits of the moral law. A householder is permitted to enjoy conjugal happiness on one night in a month.

Panch Maha Yajnas

The householder should perform the Pancha Maha Yajnas.
The five Yajnas are:

Deva Yajna. Offering oblations unto Devas (gods); with recitation of Vedic Mantras.
Rishi Yajna. Study the Vedas and the teaching of Vedas to students, and offering of oblations to Rishis.
Pitri Yajna. Tarpana or ablutions to departed souls and Sraddha or annual religious rites performed for departed souls.
Bhuta Yajna. Distribution of food to cows, crows and animals in general.
Atithi Yajna. Giving food to guests and honouring them.

Hospitality is one of the householder’s chief duties. He must ever feed first his guests, Brahmanas and his relatives, and then he and his wife should eat.
When the householder sees that his sons are able to bear the burden of his duties, when his grandsons are around him, he should know that the time has come for him and his wife to retire from the world and spend their time in study (spiritual) and meditation.

The Vanaprastha or the Recluse

The next stage is that of the Vanaprastha. Brahmacharya is a preparation for the life of the householder. Even so, Vanaprastha is a preparation for the final stage of Sannyasa. After discharging all the duties of a householder, he should retire to the forest or a solitary country place and begin to meditate in solitude on higher spiritual things. He is now free from social bonds and the responsibilities of life. He has ample time for study of scriptures. His wife may go with him or remain with her sons.

The Sannyasin or the Renunciate

The next stage is that of a Sannyasin. When a man becomes a Sannnyasin, he renounces all possessions, all distinctions of caste, all rites and ceremonies and all attachments to any particular country, nation, or religion. He lives alone and spends his time in meditation. He lives on alms. When he attains the sublime states of deep meditation he rejoices in his own Self. He is quite indifferent to sensual pleasures. He is free from likes and dislikes, desires, egoism, lust, anger, greed, and pride. He has equal vision and balanced mind. He loves all. He roams about happily and disseminates Brahma-Jnana or Knowledge of the Self. He is the same in honour and dishonour, praise and censure, success and failure. He is now Ativarnasrami, i,e., above Varna or Asrama. He is quite a free man. He is not bound by any social customs and conventions.
Such a Sannyasin is an ideal man. He has attained perfection and freedom. He is Brahman Himself. He is a Jivanmukta or a liberated sage. Glory to such exalted personages who are living Gods on earth!

Asrama Dharma Under Modern Conditions

At the present moment, the Asramas cannot be lived exactly according to the details of the ancient rules, as the conditions have undergone significant changes; but they may be revived in their spirit, to the great improvement of modern life. In these stages, no one should do the duty of another. The student or Brahmacharin should not do the duties of a householder, a recluse or a Sannyasin. The householder must not perform the duties of a Brahmacharin, Vanaprastha or a Sannyasin. A Sannyasin should not seek again the joys of the householder.
Peace and order will prevail in society, only if and when all people do their respective duties efficiently. The abolition of Varnas and Asramas will cut at the very root of social duties. How can the nation hope to live when Vranasrama Dharma is not rigidly practised?
The students of schools and colleges should lead a life of purity and simple living. The householder should lead the life of an ideal Grihastha. He should practise self-restraint, mercy, tolerance, non-injury, truthfulness and moderation in everything. Those who find it difficult to lead the life of the third and the fourth Asramas (Vanaprastha and Sannyasa) should, remaining in either of the other two Asramas, gradually withdraw themselves from worldly life and practise selfless service, study, and meditation.
Yuga Dharma
In Satya-Yuga or the golden age, there was a different set of Dharmas or laws; in Treta-Yuga they changed into another form; in Dvapara Yuga, the Dharmas were different from the Dharmas of other Yugas; and in Kali-Yuga, they assumed still another form. The Dharma changes according to the changes of the cycles. Man is undergoing change. His nature gets transformed through experiences. Hence, his external form of Dharmas also should change.
That which is achieved through contemplation in Satya Yuga, through sacrifices in Treta Yuga, and through the worship of Lord Hari in Dvapara Yuga, may be attained through Kirtana or loud chanting of Lord Vishnu’s Name in Kali Yuga or Iron age.
In the Satya Yuga, the mind of men was generally pure. They had no distraction of the mind. There were neither cinemas, nor hotels, nor dancing halls and similar other distractions. Hence, meditation was easy and natural for them. That is the reason why contemplation has been prescribed for men of Satya Yuga. In the Treta Yuga, materials for the performance of Yajnas or sacrifices were easily available. The people had active tendencies. Therefore it was easy for them to perform Agnihotra, Jyotistoma, Darsa-Paurnimas and other Yajnas.
That is the reason why Yajna has been described as the external form of Sanatana Dharma in that age. In the Dvapara Yuga, there was the manifestation of Avataras and men could easily have direct worship of God. Hence, worship was prescribed as the principal form of Sadhana in that age. In the Kali Yuga, there are many distractions for the mind. People lack in Brahmacharya (celibacy), strength of will and power of enquiry or rational investigation. It is very difficult to procure materials for the performance of sacrifices. Therefore, Hari Kirtana or loud chanting of the Divine Name and selfless service of humanity have been recommended as the principal forms of Sadhana (in the Kali Yuga).

Conclusion

Follow your Dharma with zeal and enthusiasm. Discharge your duties faithfully. Develop all the virtues which constitute Dharma. Never deviate an inch from the path of righteousness. Stick to Dharma with all your heart, with your entire mind and with all your soul. Performance of one’s duties brings happiness, quick evolution and freedom. You will soon attain immortality, eternal bliss, supreme peace, perennial joy, absolute freedom and perfection. Glory to Dharma, the supreme light that leads you to the kingdom of eternal bliss and everlasting peace.
May the eternal Dharma of Hinduism be preserved forever.
May the bond of true love consolidate all Hindus!

From the Bhagavad Gita
The Blessed Lord said:
Whenever there is a decline in Dharma
(righteousness), O Arjuna, and rise of Adharma (unrighteousness), then I manifest Myself.
-Gita, Ch. 4, Verse 7:
(Yadaa Yadaa Hi Dharmasya, Glaanirbhavati Bhaarata
Abhyutthaanam Adharmasya Tadaatmaanam Srijaamyaham)
That which knows the path of work and renunciation, what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, fear and fearlessness, bondage and liberation- that intellect is Sattvic, O Arjuna.
-Gita, Ch 18, Verse 30.
That by which one incorrectly understands Dharma and Adharma, and also what ought to be done and what ought not to be done- that intellect, O Arjuna, is Rajasic.
-Gita, Ch.18, Verse 31.
That which, enveloped in darkness, views Adharma as Dharma and all things perverted- that intellect, O Arjuna, is called Tamasic.
-Gita Ch.18, Verse 32.
Better is one’s own duty (Swadharma) though destitute of merits, than the duty of another well performed. He who does the duty ordained by his own nature incurs no sin.
-Gita Ch.18, Verse 47.
One should not abandon, O Arjuna, the duty to which one is born, though faulty; for, all undertakings are enveloped by evil, as fire by smoke.
-Gita, Ch.18, Verse 48.
O Arjuna, bound by thy own Karma (action) born of thy own nature, that which from delusion thou wishest not to do, even that thou shalt do helplessly.
-Gita, Ch.18, Verse 60.

(from http://www.hinduism.co.za/dharma.htm )

Who Exactly Is God?

2011-10-12T23:06:00.000+04:00

Who Exactly Is God?

First we have to know the Qualities of God
God is the most powerful person, no one can defeat God in anyway.
God is the most beautiful person, no one is more beautiful than God.
God is the most loving person, he is the nicest guy around.
God is the most merciful person, he doesn’t send anyone eternally to hell.
God is the most forgiving person, he gives us unlimited chances (reincarnation).
God is the most caring person, he even cares for the animals like cows, pigs, chickens etc. (vegetarianism).
God is the most fair person, we are rewarded or punished based on our own actions (karma).
God is the most just person, he doesn’t make one suffer or enjoy for no reason (karma).
God is the most efficient person, he doesn’t keep the dead waiting (reincarnation).
God is the most responsible person, he doesn’t order his followers to hate others.
The Vedic scriptures, Srimad Bhagavtam and Bhagavad-Gita. Are the only scriptures on the Planet that completely describes a person who proved without a doubt that he has all the above qualities. That person is Lord Krishna.
Does God have a Form?
Some people believe that God is formless and thus cannot be seen. Does it make any sense to follow someone who has never been seen and who will never be seen?
You have a form, I have a form, even the plants and animals have a form, and so if God can give us a form, then why can’t he take a form for himself? Are we greater than God?
It is said that everything comes from God:

We have a form, because God has one.
We are beautiful to some degree, because God is all beautiful.
We are powerful to some degree, because God is all powerful.
We have some knowledge, because God has all knowledge.
We have some intelligence, because God has all intelligence.
We are merciful to some degree, because God is all merciful.
We are loving to some degree, because God is all loving.
We are peaceful to some degree, because God is all peaceful.
We are caring to some degree, because God is all caring.
We can remember some things from our childhood, because God can remember everything from everyone’s past.

God Is Great
People say God is great, but unfortunately they do not know how great God is. Lord Krishna in his Maha Vishnu form, has millions of Universes coming out of his body with every exhalation, and with every inhalation, millions of Universes go back into his body. There are trillions of Planets with living beings and the highest Planet in the material creation is called Satayaloka, where one single day is 8.64 billion earth years and the life span of the living beings on Satyaloka is trillions of years.
The Sun is situated in one place but the sunshine is everywhere in the Universe. Similaraly Lord Krishna is situated in one place, but he is also present on each of the trillions of Planets. He is present in the heart of every living being as the super soul and he is also present in the atom. This is how great God is.
What does God look like?
This question can only be answered by the Vedic scriptures.

Lord Krishna’s original form is just like a human being. Even the Christian Bible states that man is made in the image of God. This means that God is a person with two hands, 2 legs and so on. That person is Lord Krishna.
His complexion is dark-blue, like that of a rain filled cloud.
His eyes are like lotus petals.
He is ever youthful.
He is full of bliss and his beauty excels that of thousand of cupids.
He likes to play the flute.
He wears a peacock feather in his crown.
He wears the Kaustubha jewel around his neck.
He wears yellow garments.

Can God be worshipped in an Image Form?
For millions of years, humans have been worshipping God in an image form, so why is it all of a sudden wrong to worship God in an image form?
God has been creating humans who worship him in the image form for millions of years. Is God a fool?
God created the rules for humans to follow at creation, billions of years ago and not just a few thousands years ago.
The Vedic knowledge was passed down from Lord Vishnu (an incarnation of Lord Krishna) at creation to Brahma, the first living being. Then Brahma passed it down to his children and so on in disciplic succession down to the most recent prophet of God. Srila Prabhupada, the founder of ISKCON. The Vedic religion is based on unlimited prophets and not just one. God is unlimited and all-powerful and so he can send unlimited prophets, and not just one.
It is important to understand that the Vedic scriptures authorize God’s image, thus Lord Krishna’s deity, to be worshipped and not any image.
There is only one living being who very strongly declared himself as the supreme. That person is Lord Krishna.
Lord Krishna declared himself as the Supreme Father:

“It should be understood that all species of life, o son of Kunti, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed giving father” (Bhagavad-Gita 14.4)

Lord Krishna declared himself as the Supreme Creator:

“Furthermore, O Arjuna, I am the generating seed of all existences. There is no being, moving or unmoving, that can exist without me” (Bhagavad-Gita 10.39)

Lord Krishna declared himself as the Supreme Controller:

“I give heat, and I withhold and send forth the rain” (Bhagavad-Gita 9.19)

“With a single fragment of myself I pervade and support this entire universe”(Bhagavad-Gita 10.42)

Lord Krishna declared himself as the Supreme Maintainer:

“I enter into each planet, and by my energy they stay in orbit” (Bhagavad-Gita 15.13)

Lord Krishna is Omnipresent: meaning he is present everywhere.

“I am the supersoul, O Arjuna, seated in the hearts of all living entities, I am the beginning, the middle, and the end of all beings” ( Bhagavad-Gita 10.20)

Lord Krishna is omnipotent, meaning he is the greatest:

“There is no truth beyond Me. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread”(Bhagavad-Gita 7.7)

Lord Krishna is Omniscient: meaning he knows the past, present, and the future:

“O Arjuna, I know everything that has happened in the past, all that is happening in the present, and all things that are yet to come. I also know all living entities” (Bhagavad-Gita 7.26)

“Many, many births both you and I have passed. I can remember all of them, but you cannot!”(Bhagavad-Gita 4.5)

Lord Krishna declared himself as the Only God:

“Those who are devotees of other gods and who worship them with faith actually worship only me, O son of Kunti, but they do so in a wrong way. I am the only enjoyer and master of all sacrifices. Therefore, those who do not recognize my true transcendental nature fall down.” (Bhagavad-Gita 9.24)

“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.” (Bhagavad-Gita 18.66)

What’s the Proof that Krishna is God?
Anyone can claim to be God, but who can actually prove it?
In each incarnation, Lord Krishna proved without any doubt that he was God. Full details on all the miracles performed by Lord Krishna can be found in the Srimad Bhagavatam.
Lord Krishna performed miracles that no other being can perform:

When Lord Krishna was 7 years old, he lifted a mountain (26 miles in perimeter) and held it up with his one hand for 7 days. Witnessed by tens of thousands of people who were standing underneath the mountain.
Lord Krishna expanded his body into 16,108 forms. Which means he duplicated his body into 16,108 identical bodies.

Lord Krishna showed the whole Universe in his mouth several times.
Many atheists tried to kill Lord Krishna, but Lord Krishna very easily defeated them all and also gave them on the spot liberation.Lord Krishna is most merciful; he gives
liberation even to those who try to kill him. The Lord can give on the spot liberation; one does not need to wait for the Day of Judgment.
Lord Krishna brought back to life many dead people including the six children of Devaki.
Lord Krishna cured diseased people including transforming a hunchback woman into a most beautiful woman in return for offering sandalwood pulp to the Lord.
Lord Krishna destroyed all the wicked Kings and evil people who were tormenting and harassing the public. People were saved in this very life.
Lord Krishna put out a big forest fire, simply by swallowing it whole.
Lord Krishna transformed himself into exact copies of others.
Lord Krishna granted Arjuna divine vision and reveled his spectacular unlimited form as the cosmic universe. In which Arjuna could see the various forms of Lord Krishna, and unlimited Planets while being seated in one place. He was also shown the past, present, and future.
When a woman called Draupadi was disrobed in a court of kings, she called out to Lord Krishna for help and he supplied her with an unlimited sari and thus she could not be disrobed.
Lord Krishna in his Maha Vishnu form, is so big that millions of Universes are coming out from his body with every exhalation, and with every inhalation, millions of Universes enter his body. When Maha Vishnu inhales or exhales just once, 311 trillion years pass on Earth.
Lord Krishna can make himself so small that he can enter the atom.

The Purpose of Life
The purpose of human life is to enquire:

Who am I?
Where have I come from?
What will happen to me at death?
Why do I suffer?
Why do others suffer?
Who is God?
How can I serve God?
Why is there variety of living beings?
How can I get out this cycle of birth, old age, disease, and death?
How can I live eternally?

Only the human beings enquire, the animals do not enquire. Unfortunately at the present time many humans have become two legged animals.
Give up lust, greed, and anger. These force us to sin and the result is hellish life in this life and the lives after.
Give up the killing of animals, especially the cows. The animals are also our brothers and sisters. This means no meat eating and no leather (car seats, sofas, clothing).
Human birth is rare, we have to make the best use of it by not engaging in sinful activities. The sinful activities are being greedy, lusty, angry, and violence against other living beings (animals and humans).
Don’t waste this life by getting attached to the bodily platform of life (meat eating, lust, greed, anger, partying, discoing, bollywood and so on). This body is just one drop in the ocean of bodies that we are going through. A sword is hanging over y our head. It will fall at any moment. All your properties, cars, and big bank balance won’t help you at the time of death. Only your service to Lord Krishna will count at death. So make the best use of this precious life by serving Lord Krishna. All your physics, chemistry, math, computing, and business knowledge will be completely erased at death. Only spiritual knowledge will go with you, and the top most spiritual knowledge is the Bhagavad-Gita. So don’t waste precious time, read the Bhagavad-Gita, listen to the Bhagavad-Gita, and watch the Bhagavad-Gita.
We are the soul and not this body. The body is temporary but the soul is eternal and immortal. Our aim in life should be to escape from fangs of material life (birth, old age, disease, and death). This can only be done by humans, who have the higher consciousness.
We can attain an immortal spiritual body full of bliss, knowledge, eternal, and without a trace of calamity if we follow the Bhagavad-Gita with seriousness.

The main teachings of the Bhagavad-Gita are:

Be compassionate towards all living beings, thus love all living beings. This means don’t be envious or hateful of others. Be friendly to others, be nice to others, be kind to others, be generous to others, be merciful to others, be charitable to the needy. Don’t cheat others, don’t lie, don’t steal, don’t hurt others, don’t drink, don’t take drugs, don’t eat meat, don’t buy leather.
This body you (the soul) are residing in, is temporary, but the real you, the soul, is eternal. Just as we change worn out clothes, jobs, houses, cars, partners, and so on. One day you will be forced to change your body too. So don’t get too attached to this temporary body and material life. And just as a manufacturing company designs it’s products today for production in the future. Similarly you are designing your next body with the actions you are taking now. So if you think let me enjoy now and forget about the future. Thus if you think your next life is not worth thinking about now. Then your next life will be that of nothing. You will take birth among the 8 million species of living beings below that of human beings (animal and plant kingdoms).
There is only one person who without any doubt declared himself and proved that he was the Supreme Personality of God, Lord Krishna. Always think of him, worship him, and serve him. In this age of Kali, which means the age of ignorance, there will be so many godless people who will try to make you godless too. Surrender onto the only proven God, Lord Krishna. Do you know anyone who can lift a mountain, expand himself into thousands of forms, show the whole Universe in his mouth, put out a forest fire by swallowing it, kill all the demonic and save people in this very life. Lord Krishna did all this.
In this age of Kali, the age of ignorance and irreligion. There will be many imposters who will claim to be God or prophet of God and cheat innocent people. These imposters can only cheat people, they cannot exhibit the potency of God. Only Lord Krishna proved himself to be the one true God.

What Happens After Death?
Only the Vedic scriptures answer this important question. At death, the person (the soul) is judged according to the actions taken in life (karma). And based on what the person deserves, the soul is immediately transferred to another body. Some souls transmigrate to animal bodies, some to human bodies. Some are born in China, some in Africa. Some are born diseased, some are born in poverty, some are born ugly, some are beautiful and so on.. The theory of the transmigration of the soul (reincarnation) is the truth. One can see the proof of reincarnation. Simply by looking around. Some are born in China, some in Africa. Every second, animals and humans are dying and every second animals and humans being born. This is proof of the transmigration of the soul from one body to another. Some are born diseased, some healthy. Some are born black, some white. Some are born in poverty, some in wealth, and so on…
“The living entity in the material world carries his different conceptions of life from one body to another as the air carries aromas. The living entity, thus taking another gross body, obtains a certain type of ear, tongue, and nose and sense of touch, which are grouped about the mind. He thus enjoys a particular set of sense objects. The foolish cannot understand how a living entity can quit his body, nor can they understand what sort of body he enjoys under the spell of the modes of nature. But one whose eyes are trained in knowledge can see all this.” (Lord Krishna, Bg. 15.8-10)

From (http://www.gitamrta.org/)

Karmanye Vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana..

2011-10-08T21:50:00.000+04:00

Karmanye Vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana..

"Karmanye Vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana,
Ma Karma Phala Hetur Bhurmatey Sangostva Akarmani"

Translation :

"You have a right to perform your prescribed action,
but you are not entitled to the fruits of your action.

Never consider yourself the cause of the results of your activities,

and never be associated to not doing your duty."

How simple and how relevant even today.I think if Bhagavadgeetha is universally renowned as the jewel of India's spiritual wisdom , Most of us today have forgotten about this part and always take things as business deals. Be it friendship, love or even marriage. We always impose conditions before doing anything so that we benefit from it in the end. Thats exactly what Krishna says here.Always do your best without expecting the results and you will be happy.
How beautiful...

Some short explanations
http://www.yogaville.org/Integral_Yoga/Karma/Karma.php
http://www.sivananda.org/teachings/karma/karmayoga.html

The book
http://www.thekrishnastore.com/Detail.bok?no=360

Mudras or Gestures. (part 2 with picture)

2011-10-07T16:51:00.001+04:00

Mudras

The physical body is made up of five elements namely - Air, Water, Fire, Earth and Aakash (ether - the tiny intercellular spaces in the human body).

Imbalance of these elements disrupts the immunity system and causes disease.

Deficiencies in any of these elements can be made up by connecting one part of the body with another in a particular manner through Mudras.

When a finger representing an element is brought into contact with the thumb, that element is brought into balance. Therefore the disease caused by the imbalance is cured. Mudras start electromagnetic currents within the body which balance various constituting elements and restore health. The joining of fingers creates an effect on the human body.

Five Fingers for Five Elements
* Thumb	Fire
* Index	Air
* Middle	Aakash
* Ring	Earth
* Little	Water

Mudras for Benefits:

	Gyan Mudra	Effective in cases of mental ailment, imparts happiness, the intellect develops, memory is sharpened.
	Method	Join the tips of the index finger and thumb and keep the other 3 fingers stretched and joined.
	Shoonya Mudra	Relief in diseases and pains relating to the ear.
	Method	Press the middle finger on the base of the thumb and keep the thumb on middle finger. Keep the other three fingers straight..
	Apaan Mudra	Helps in clearing the body by elimination of waste matter from the mouth, eyes, ears, nose etc. Helps when urine is obstructed, reduces constipation.
	Method	Join the tip of the thumb with the tip of middle and ring finger, keeping the other finger straight.
	Prana Mudra	Helps in pumping the life force into your body. Beneficial for all types of diseases. Imparts special power to the eyes.
	Method	Join the tip of the thumb with tip of little and ring finger. Keeping other two fingers straight.
	Vayu Mudra	Helps in diseases like arthritis, trembling in Parkinson's disease. Better results obtained if practices after Prana mudra.
	Method	Press the index finger on the base of thumb and keep the thumb on the index finger. Let the other fingers be straight.
	Prithvi Mudra	Makes body sturdy. One experiences happiness.
	Method	Join the tip of the thumb and ring finger.
	Varun Mudra	Improves the deteriorated quality of blood due to shortage of water & gives freshness to the body.
	Method	Join the tip of the thumb and little finger.
	Surya Mudra	Reduces weight of your body.
	Method	Put the tip of ring finger at the base of thumb, with thumb gently pressing on it.
	Ling Mudra	Produces heat in the body and helps in curing cold and cough.
	Method	Interlock the fingers of both hands together. Keeping the left thumb up (encircled by right thumb and index finger) i.e. left thumb should be vertically straight and right thumb around it.


When to do?
	Can be practiced at all times while sitting, lying, standing, walking or even talking.
	For good results should be practiced for 24 minutes continuously. Can be practiced for 4-5 minutes also at one time.
	If a mudra cannot be made in both hands, you may do it in one hand only

Mudras or Gestures.

2011-10-07T16:42:00.000+04:00

Prithvi Mudra (Earth)

Popularly known as Prithvi mudra, this mudra increases the Prithvi (earth) element with in the body. At the same time, it decrease the Agni(fire) element. Therfore, it can also be called Agni-

shaamak mudra.

Method: This mudra is formed by joining together the tips of the ring finger and the thumb.

Effects : Prithvi-vardhak mudra increase the Prithvi(earth) element within the body but decrease the Agni(fire) element within the body.

The element earth is a vital component of bodily tissues like bones, cartilage, skin, hair, nails, flesh, muscles, tendons, internal organs, etc, Practice of Prithvi-vardhak mudra builds and invigorates these tissues. In other words, this mudra increases the kapha humor within the body. Therefore, this mudra can be used to overcome disorders caused by kapha deficiency. However, it should be practiced in moderation by people who already have and excess of kapha in their bodies.

The element Agni(fire) is concerned with body temperature and metabolism. Since Prithvi-vaardhak(+Agni-shaamak)_ mudra reduces fire, it can be used to pacify an overactive Agni and overcome disorders of Agni-excess like emaciation, fever, inflammation, etc.

The element fire is also a component of bodily humor Pitta.

Therefore, Prithvi-vardhak(+Agni-shaamak) mudra is an excellent mudra for people with a pronounced Pitta constitution. They can regularly use this mudra even to avoid illness.

Benefits: Prithvi-vardhak mudra can be used to treat the following disorders:

1. Cronic fatigue, general debility, convalescence,

2. Lack of Stamina or endurance,

3. Inexplicable, weight-loss, emaciation,

4. Osteoporosis osteomalacia (diminished bone-density, rickets,)

5. Fracture(to expedite union),

6. Degeneration of articular cartilage(Osteo –Arthritis),

7. Weak, atrophied muscles myopahties,

8. Paresis, paralysis, poliomyelitis,

9.dry,cracked, burning ,mature skin,

10.Brittle nails,

11. Hair-loss, premature graying of hair,

12. Burning in eyes, stomach(acidity), urine, anus, hands, feet, head,

13. Aphthous ulcers in the mouth,

14. Ulcers in the stomach, intestines,

15. Inflammatory diseases (disease whose names end with 'it is'),

16 . Jaundice,

17. Fever,

18. Hperthyroidism.

Duration: 45 minutes every day, either at one stretch or in 3 parts(i.e, for 15 minutes, thrice a day).

However, people with kapha deficiency can do it even for longer periods.

Ideal time: though Prithvi-vardhak mudra can be performed at anytime of the day, practicing it at any time 6.00 to 10,00 am/pm gives better results.

Precaution : People with a pronounced kapha constitution should perform this mudra in moderation, if at all.

(Ref.: http://complete-education.blogspot.com/2008/12/prithvi-vardhak-or-prithvi-mudra.html)

Surya Mudra (Fire)

Popularly known as Surya mudra this mudra increases the Agni(fire) elemnt within the body. It can, therefore, be called Agni-vardhak mudra, too. At the same time, this mudra decreases the Prithvi(earth) element with in the body.

Method: This mudra is formed by first placing the tip of the ring finger on the base of the thumb and then bringing gentle pressure of the thumb upon this finger. This amounts to suppression of element earth (residing in the ring finger) by element fire (residing in the thumb). The earth element thus suppressed, fire is able to rage unopposed.

Effect: Prithvi-shaamak or Agni-vardhak mudra increases the Agni(fire) element within the body but subdues the Prithvi(earth) element.

The element Agni (fire) is associated with body temperature and matbolism. Practice of Pritvi-shaamak or Surya mudra helps to maintain the body-temperature and keeps the metabolism going.

The element agni is also connected with vision. Hence, regular practice of surya mudra helps to strengthen weak eyes and improve vision.

Agni is also a component of bodily humor Pitta. Practice of Prithvi-shaamak or Surya mudra increases the Pitta humor within the body. Therefore, this mudra can be used to overcome disorders caused by Pitta deficiency. However, it should be used only in moderation by people having an excess of Pitta.

Prithvi-shaamak mudra decreases the element Prithvi(earth) in the body. It is, therefore, excellent for people having an excess of element Prithvi in their bodies .

The element earth is also a component of bodily humor kapha. Therefore , Prithvi-shaamak mudra is an excellent mudra for people with a pronounced kapha constitution. They can regularly practice this mudra even to prevent illness.

Benfits: Prtivi-shaamak (Agni-vardhak; Surya) mudra can be used to treat the following disorders:

1.Abnormally low body-temperature,

2,Coldness of skin, body, limbs, hands, feet, etc.

3. Intolerance to cold, shivering,

4. Under activity of the thyroid gland causing slow metabolism,

5.Obesity, progressive weight-gain,

6.Loss of appetite, indigestion, constipation,

7.absence of sweating,

8. Ceratin vison/eye problems, especially cataract.

Duration: 45 minutes every day, either at one stretch or in 3 parts(i.e, for 15 minutes, thrice a day).

Ideal time: though Prithvi-vardhak mudra can be performed at anytime of the day, practicing it at any time 6.00 to 10,00 am/pm gives better results.

Precaution: over performance of this mudra may cause undue heating of the body.

http://complete-education.blogspot.com/2008/12/prithvi-shaamak-or-surya-mudra.html

Aakash shaamak or shoonya mudra

Popularly known as shoonya mudra, this mudra decrease the Aakaash(space) element with in the body .

Method: this mudra is formed by first placing the tip of the middle finger on base of the thumb and tehn bringing gentle pressure of the thumb upon this finger. The amounts to suppression of element space(residing in the middle finger) by element fire(residng in the thumb).

Effects: aakaash-shaamak mudra decrease the Aakaash(space) element with in the body. It can, therefore, be used to treat disorders (enlisted below) caused by an abnormal increase of space within the body. The element space is associated with ears.

Therefore Aakaash-shaamak mudra helps certain ear disorders. In fact, it is an almost fail proof remedy for ear-pain.

The decreased internal space restricts the rest of the four bodily elements i.e, vaayu(air), agni(fire), jal(water) and pirthvi(earth). Therfore, aakaash-shaamak mudra can be beneficially combined with Vaayu-shamaak, Agni-shammak, Pritvi-shammak and jal-shammak mudras.

The element aakaash is also a component of bodily humor Vaata. The decrease of space in the body form the practice of Aakaash-shammak mudra pacifies the (aggravated) Vaata. Therfore, this mudra is especially suitable for people having a pronounced Vaata constitution (Vaata dosha).

Benefits: Aakash-shamak mudra can be used to treat the following disorders:

Feeling of emptiness or numbers in the body or body parts like the head, the chest, the abdomen, etc.,

2. Ear ailments like pain, tinnitus(noises), vertigo and acquired deafness.

duration: In case of acute ear-pain, incapacitating vertigo or severe numbness, perform this mudra continuously till the disorder subsides. For chronic ear ailments or numness perform this mudra for 45 minutes either at one stretch or in 3 parts(i.e., for 15 minutes thrice a day).

Ideal time: for chronic disease, this mudra should, if possible be performed at anytime other than 2.00 to 6.00 am/pmgives better results.

Precaution : Experienced doctors believe that the practice of this mudra should be discontinued as soon as the disease has been overcome.

http://complete-education.blogspot.com/2008/12/aakaash-shaamak-or-shoonya-mudra.html

Aakaash-vardhak or Aakash mudra

Popularly known as Aakaash mudra this mudra increases the (inactive) Aakaash(ether or space) element with in the body.

Method: This mudra is formed by joining together the tips of the thumb and middle finger.

Effects: Aakaash-vardhak mudra increases the aakash(space0 element with in the body. Since the space within the body is a part of the outer space (aakaash or cosmos), practise of the mudra enables the individual(aatmaa) to reunite with the collective consciousness(Paramaatmaa or God). Negative emotions like fear, anger,sorrow, etc. are replaced by positive emotions and thoughts.

The above- mentioned increase in internal space is effected by the elimination of metabolic wastes from the body. Thus Aakaash-vardhak mudra is a detoxifying mudra.

The increased internal space enables the rest of the four bodily elements:vaayu(air), agni(fire), jal(water) and prtihvi (earth) to increase , affording them a room to act. Thus , Aakaash-vardhak mudra can be beneficially combined wiht mudras that increase the other four elements(i.e, Vaayu-vardhak mudra, Prithvi vardhak mudra, Agni-vardhak mudra and jal-vardhak mudra).

In general, Aakaash-vardhak mudra is an excellent mudra that stimulates noble thoughts and helps the practioner to take rapid strides along the path to moksha(salvation).It also helps a person who wishes to scale great heigths in the art of meditation.

The element Aakaash is also a component of bodily humor Vaata. Therfore, Aakaash-vardhak mudra reinforces the Vaata humor of the body. It should be djone in moderation by people of Vaata constitution.

Benfits: Practice of Aakaash-vardhak mudra helps -

· to develop noble, elevated thoughts,

· to develop intuiton and extra sensory powers(ESP),

· to detoxify the body by the elimination of metabolic wastes(thorugh exhaled air, Sweat, urine and stools),

· to overcome a feeling of fullness/heaviness in the body or body-parts,

· to overcome discomfort caused by over-eating

· to relieve congestion (and pain) in the head (due to migraine or sinusitis), ear/s (due to infection) , chest (due to infection/asthma), etc.

· Hight blood pressure, irregular heart-beats, angina pectoris, etc.

Duration: 45 minutes every day, either at one stretch or in three parts(i.e for 15 minutes, thrice a day)

Ideal time: Though Aakaash-vardhak or gyaan mudra can be performed at any time of the day, practising it at any time between 2.00 to 6.00 am/pm gives better results.

Precaution: People with a pronounced Vaata prakruti(constitution) should perform this mudra in moderation, if at all.

http://complete-education.blogspot.com/2008/12/aakaash-vardhak-or-aakash-mudra.html

The following weblink enlists disorders and corrective mudras for each:

http://complete-education.blogspot.com/2008/12/diseases-that-can-be-cured-by-mudras.html

Please refer to the attached files for pictures of the mudras. Just in case you cannot view the pictures please access the weblinks mentioned.

Meaning of "yada yada hi dharmasya glanibhabati bharata abhyuthhanam dharmsya tadatamnan".

2011-10-07T15:51:00.000+04:00

yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharata
abhyutthanam adharmasya
tadatmanam srjamy aham

Whenever there is discrepancies in the discharge of natural laws of God, then God incarnates. Either He incarnates Himself, or He sends His bona fide representative, or He sends His powerful representative, like that. So whenever there is incarnation of God, it is to be understood that there is discrepancies in the matter of discharging the laws made by God. And the laws made by God is called dharma, dharma, or religion.

So religion, you cannot manufacture; I cannot manufacture. Just like there are so many religions now, manufactured by laymen. Oh, they are not religion. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam: "Dharma means, religion means, which is made by God." Or His representative. Not by anyone. Not that you make a club or association, you manufacture some idea and it becomes religion. No. Dharmam tu saksad bha... Therefore God incarnates. Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati. Glanir means when there is discrepancies. In that law, which is given by God, when there is discrepancies and people are disturbed, especially the devotees are disturbed, when there is satanic influence, there is, devotees are very much disturbed. So paritranaya sadhunam. When incarnation comes, now, paritranaya sadhunam, the first business is to give protection to the devotees. There is no necessity of God's coming here to settle up things. There is no necessity. He has got omnipotential power. He can do without His presence. But when His devotees become very much disturbed, He comes personally. He comes personally, sends His representative. Paritranaya sadhunam. Sadhunam means devotees. Paritranaya and vinasaya ca duskrtam. And, simultaneously, when He comes, all these miscreants, they are killed. They are annihilated. Vinasaya ca duskrtam. Dharma-samsthapanarthaya, and reestablishing the principle of religion. Yuge yuge sambhavami. The Lord says, "I come in different millenniums."

It is to demonstrate this truth of the universality of God's perfection and the ideal inclusiveness of everything that this incarnation shone on earth. "Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati Bharata; Abhyutthanam adharmasya tadatmanam srijamyaham. Paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya cha dushkritam; Dharma-samthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge." "Whenever the balance of the universe is disturbed by external interference from any of its parts, then I reveal Myself as the Power of eternal balancing. For the protection of those who are in harmony, and the rectification of everything disharmonious, I incarnate Myself at every juncture of time."

Through these verses of the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna proclaims the meaning of his descent for the ascent of the spirit of man. God's incarnation is a perpetual act, an eternal occurrence. It is not merely a historical event that took place centuries back and is not taking place now. The words, 'Yuge yuge', imply every juncture of time. At a great juncture and critical moment and crisis, God manifests Himself to dissolve that crisis and conflict. The perpetual incarnation of God is taking place every moment of time, which is the work of Vishnu, the Sustainer, who is ever vigilant in maintaining the harmony of all creation, which gets disturbed by an excess of rajas and tamas, distracting desires in the direction of objects of sense and torpidity due to excessive fixity caused by dark natures, clouds of unknowing.

Om Namah Shivaya

2010-09-27T09:16:00.003+04:00

The Siddha lineage and practioners, use a mantra that works directly on the elements themselves, rather than on the chakras. They reason that mastery of the elements that rule the chakras will accomplish the goal achieved by saying the seed sound of the chakras and much more besides. The Siddha lineage uses this basic mantra 'Om Namah Shivaya'.

Om – Mind

Na – Earth

Ma – Water

Shi – Fire

Va – Air

Ya – Ether

The above from Chakra Mantras –by Thomas Ashley Ferrand

Shiv Panchakshara stotram:

(the hymn of the 5 letter of Shiva)

Nagendra Haraya Trilochanaya,

Bhasmanga ragaya Maheshwaraya,

Nityaya Shuddhaya Digambaraya,

Tasmai Nakaraya NamahShivaya,

Salutations to the letter 'Na', which is Shiva,

Who wears as garland the king of snakes, (signifies the earth element)

Who has three eyes,

Who wears ash all over him, (this too signifies the earth element)

Who is the greatest lord,

Who is eternal, immaculate

And who wears directions themselves as clothes.

Mandakini salila chandana charchitaya,

Nandeeshwara pramatha natha maheshwaraya,

Mandara pushpa bahu pushpa supujitaya,

Tasmai Makaraya Namah Shivaya

Salutations to the letter 'Ma', which is Shiva,

Who is bathed by the water of the Ganges, (signifies the water element)

Anointed with sandal paste,

Who is the Lord of Pramatha (a type of being in Lord Shiva's retinue) and Lord Nandi,

Who is the greatest Lord

And who is worshipped by Mandara and many other flowers

Shivaaya gauri vadanaravinda,

Suryaya dakshaya dwaranashakaya,

Sri neel kanthaya vrisha dhwajaya ,

Tasmai Shikaraya Namahshivaya

Salutation to the letter 'Shi', which is Shiva,

Who is peace personified,

Who is like a Sun to the lotus face of Gauri (another name for Parvati, Shiva's consort), (signifies fire element)

Who destroyed the fire sacrifice of Daksha, (this too mentions the fire element)

Who has a blue neck, (signifies fire element)

And who has a bull in his banner.

Vashishthakumbhodbhava gautamarya,

Munindra devarchita shekharaya,

Chandrarka vaishvanara lochanaya,

Tasmai Vakaraya Namah Shivaya

Salutation to the letter 'Va', which is Shiva,

Who is worshipped by great sages like Vashishtha, Agastya , Gautam and gods,

And who has Sun, Moon and Fire as his three eyes. (sky or air element)

Yaksha swaroopaya jata dharaya,

Pinaka hastaya sanaatanaya,

Divyaya devaya digambaraya,

Tasmai Yakaraya Namahshivaya

Salutations to the letter 'Ya', which is Shiva,

Who has the nature of Yaksha (the lord of Riches, kubera),

Who has matted locks,

Who is armed with the Trident, Pinaka,

(Siva's trishul or trident (the three pointed javelin like weapon) represents the three gunas –Sattwa,Rajas and Tamas. The Trishul is the emblem of sovereignity. Lord Siva wields the world through these three gunas, which is the composition of Maya-Shakti or mind and matter. In other words, if one were able to analyse the composition of Maya-Shakti, it will be found to be made of the combination of the three Gunas (Sattwa-Rajas-Tamas). (ethereal qualities)

Ref.: http://www.hinduism.co.za/siva.htm

Who is peace and a divine god,

Who wears directions themselves as dress.

Why go to the Temple ???

2010-08-16T12:03:00.001+04:00

Why go to the Temple ???

If you're spiritually alive, you're going to love this!
If you're spiritually dead, you won't want to read it.
If you're spiritually curious, there is still hope!

A 'devotee' wrote a letter to the editor of an Indian newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to the Temple . 'I've gone for 30 years now, he wrote, and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 mantras.

But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the Gurus are wasting theirs by giving services at all.

This started a real controversy in the 'Letters to the Editor' column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher: I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals.

But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this... They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work.

If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to the Temple for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!

When you are DOWN to nothing.... God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible!

Thank God for our physical AND our spiritual nourishment! All right, now that you're done reading, send it on!!! I think everyone should read this!! 'When the devil is knocking at your door, simply say,

'God , could you get that for me?!!'
Om Vighneswaraya Namah !
You gave me strength to carry on,
When my body was so torn.
And lifted me on wings of love,
When my spirit was so worn.

Through all the times when in despair,
When I hung my head in shame.
You came to me when I knelt down,
As I called upon your name.

And when my heart was troubled,
With more heartache than I could bear.
You caught each and every tear I shed,
In a bottle you have up there.

And when I get to heaven,
I'll kneel before your feet.
You'll wipe away all my tears,
For my soul is yours to keep.

May u n your family be blessed.

Creator's work is acknowledged and appreciated.

The 5 elements : The outside is inside all of us.

2010-08-05T15:15:00.004+04:00

Here's an interesting compilation of information on the concept of 5 elements:

The 5 elements : The outside is inside all of us.

When we look to the beauty of nature, we find that five elements provide the foundation for the entire physical world. Ayurveda recognizes these elements–Space, Air, Fire, Water, and Earth—as the building blocks of all material existence.

Whether walking headfirst into a gale of wind or digging our hands into the soil, we possess an inherent familiarity with the elements. All organic and inorganic substances are combinations of these elements, be it a time-polished rock or a shiny piece of plastic. Every object is unique because it contains a varying ratio of the five elements.

Ayurveda also observes the five elements within the human body. We nourish ourselves with foods from the Earth, and eventually, our body returns to the earthly matter from which it came. Water is our life-sustaining nectar, making up more than 70 percent of our total body mass. Fire provides the body with heat and radiant energy and exists within all metabolic and chemical actions. Air flows freely throughout the body, giving movement to biological functions and feeding every cell with oxygen. Space is ever-present, humbly residing in the background, providing the other elements with an opportunity to interact in this way.

From an Ayurvedic perspective, the Water element encompasses more than the substance we call water. It also embodies the physical qualities, biological functions, and energetic properties of this element. For example, Water is liquid, heavy, soft, and cohesive. It governs all bodily fluids and is necessary for chemical reactions to take place in nature. On the subtler levels of the mind and emotions, Water relates to a calm personality and promotes love, compassion, and contentment.

The Five Elements explain why substances of the natural world are harmonious with the human body. We easily utilize plants, herbs, minerals, and water, because these substances are the same in composition and character to our own underlying make-up.

(Ref.: http://www.eattasteheal.com/Ayurveda101/ETH_5elements.htm)

Seven chakras in our body:

In the philosophy of the seven chakras there are correspondences to the five elements as shared by both Hinduism and Buddhism as well as two other elements:

Sahasrara (Crown): Thought/Space

Ajña (Third Eye): Light/Dark

Vishuddhi (Throat): Ether/Sound

Anahata (Heart): Air

Manipura (Navel): Fire

Svadhisthana (Sacral): Water

Muladhara (Root): Earth

(Ref.: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puja_(Hinduism))

When the Five Elements are in balance, we are able to function at our highest level as human beings. To create this balance, there are ancient Indian mantras - sacred vibrations - for each element, as well as practical easy-to-use techniques that we can use daily. We can learn how to build homes and create spaces in alignment with the Five Elements through the ancient Indian science of 'Vaastu'. When we follow correct Vaastu principles, we are living physically in harmony with nature and, in turn, our lives will be filled with happiness and success. Knowledge of the Five Elements is essential in order to lead happy and healthy lives. By understanding the positive and negative aspects of each element, we can tune our minds, heart and souls to use each element in the most effective way. The first rule of thumb is that we cannot dominate the Five Elements; instead, we have to surrender to the elements and respect them.

Fire - or the sun - is the great generator for all creation to happen. The early morning sun can heal many diseases and depression. If you have east-facing windows in your home, open them at sunrise, letting in as much of the early morning light as possible.

If the sunrise rays can touch your body, you are a very lucky person!

Witnessing a sacred Fire ceremony can also bring your soul huge blessings and protection. When we chant the Fire mantra, we are purifying our body and soul from negative karmas.

The Fire can bring the highest positive energy, prosperity and fulfill our heart's desires.

The Sky is unlimited. By chanting the Sky mantra, we can develop our 6th sense, connect to the angels and receive the highest self-healing power.

Through the Sky mantra, we can heal our addictions, heartbreak, and depression. We can make our soul like a magnet to attract the highest healing vibrations.

Through the Sky mantra, we can also connect to all of Creation because it encompasses all.

The Water element is a huge force of life. There are perfect cycles of Water flowing throughout the planet. Water is of a nurturing energy, but when out of balance, tsunamis, hurricanes, and floods can occur. When we take a bath, or go swimming, our body naturally relaxes very quickly. Water pulls out negativity, balances our emotions, and makes our minds calm and focused. Water easily holds energy. For example, if we recite the Water mantra while drinking water, the water becomes charged with the highest healing vibrations. The delicacy of nature can be observed through water's sensitivity to people's thoughts, feelings and emotions. The Water element can be used for helping people with all types of psychiatric problems, body pains and depression.

The Air element is our most basic connection to life. Our body can only survive if we breathe. Through the air, we can receive powerful cosmic energy. Wind can be soft and gentle or wild and destructive. Generally, the winds in the high mountains are very powerful to our soul, whereas the desert winds have a negative quality. If there is no plant life, the wind can bring destructive energies. Where there is life, the winds can be healing, bringing angelic energy and light, especially to those meditating in the nature. When we have the Air element under our control, our minds are peaceful and controlled. By mastering the mind, we gain the capacity to handle all the other elements and use those energies to the best advantage. In this western world, controlling our thoughts is the most difficult thing, and yet the most important, to our well-being.

To stay balanced, it is important to spend some time every week with nature and maintain a place of inner silence. We can use the power of our thoughts and minds to heal ourselves and others. Chanting the sacred element mantras is like tuning into perfect radio frequencies, purifying our souls and opening us up to the divine rhythm of nature.

(Ref.: http://www.purecalma.com/elements.html)

Architecture (Vastu Shastra):

According to vastu sastra, the world comprises five basic elements known as the pancha maha bhoota. Out of the eight planets, ours has life because of the presence and balance of these five elements. The five elements are as follows.

EARTH (Bhumi) - Earth, the third planet in order from the sun, is a big magnet with North and South poles as centers of attractions. Its magnetic field and gravitational force has considerable effects on everything on the Earth, living and non-living.

WATER (Jala) - This is represented by rain, river, sea and is in the form of liquid, solid (ice) and gas (steam, cloud). It forms part of every plant and animal. Our blood is nothing but water with haemoglobin and oxygen.

AIR (Vayu) - As a life supporting element, air is a very powerful life source. Human physical comfort values are directly and sensitively dependent on correct humidity, air flow, temperature of air, air pressure, air composition and its content.

FIRE (Agni) - Represents light and heat which account for day, night, the seasons, energy, enthusiasm, passion and vigour.

SPACE (Akasha) - The akasha provides shelter to all the above elements. It is also considered the primary conductor of all energy sources within the universal context - physical energies such as sound and light, social energies such as psychological and emotional, and cognitive energies such as intellect and intuition.

There is an invisible and constant relation between all the five elements. Thus, the person can improve their conditions by properly designing their buildings by understanding the effectiveness of these five natural forces. Vaastu sastra combines all the five elements of nature and balances them with the person and the material. It takes advantage of the benefits bestowed by the five elements of nature to create a congenial living and working environment thereby facilitating spiritual well-being and paving the way for enhanced health, wealth, prosperity and happiness.

(Ref.: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vastu_Shastra)

As per Vastu the prayer room should be in the North east quadrant of the house.

ISHANYA (NORTH-EAST): The angle that lies midway between north and the east is known as Ishanya (north-east) direction. Shiv is the lord of this angle. Pashupat is the weapon of Shiv. Nakshatra Ardra is the symbol of Lord Shiv. Semul (silk-cotton) tree is considered auspicious in this direction.

Worshipping of ruling God of this direction yields many virtues in the life of the worshipper. Portion of the house in this direction must be kept holy for it yields many kinds of divine powers to the owner. Proper utilization of this portion of house provides wealth, reputation, property and every kind of excellence for the owner. A faulty utilization of this angle, however, may block successful continuation of progeny.

(Ref.: http://www.solutionastrology.com/rajkumarsharma/Vastushastra.asp)

The Direction' plays an important part in human life. The North and the East are called 'Deva Disha'. Heavenly forces flow from these directions, while the south and the west are known as 'Daitya Disha' (Demonic Direction).

Demonic forces flow from these directions. The energy flow from the north and the east brings peace, progress, stability, happiness, well-being, and long-life. The flow from the south and the west, however, brings about events leadings to difference of opinion, cruelty, sorrow, imperfection & illness.

The study of the system which helps to get blessings of the Lord and at the same time protect us from the demonic forces, which helps to get blessings of the lord and at the same time protect us from the forces, in the house we live in, is know as Vastushastra, It must be remembered that every article in nature is created from the five basic elements and it eventually merges itself with nature. Human body is an artistic work of the five basic elements in the Universe. The bones & the skin in the body are a symbol of the earth element. Blood represents the quintessence of water. We breathe every moment. Breathing means inhaling the oxygen and exhaling the carbon dioxide. It means that we have element of air in our body. Every movement of our body is a manifestation of energy. It is present in our body in the form calories which represent the element of fire.

The element of sky is present in the body, in the from of cavities. For example the cavity in the mouth, nose and ear, there are cavities of special nature in the heart, the lungs, stomach & intestines. These cavities represent the sky element. When a man dies, his perishable body is either cremated or buried. The flesh and bones which represent the earth element turn into ash. Nature absorbs the Air, Fire, and energy body.

The element sky absorbs the cavities in itself. The blood merges with water elements in the from of vapors. And in the end the bones and the ash, when immersed in water, eventually merges fully with nature. This only means that our body is completely merged with the nature. It is also understood as the merger of the body in the five basic elements of the Universe. If we study each & every article needed for building a house, it will be found that each article is related to the five basic elements of the Universe. For example:

Brick: An important component made by mixing soil, and water, dried with the help of air and fire. It is made on the surface of the earth under the canopy of the sky.

Iron: It is taken out from the Ore. It is treated with fire, air, water so as to make it pure. It is also made under the canopy of the sky.

Cement: It is made after; bauxite and gypsum, related to earth are cleaned with water, baked in fire, cooled with water. The process takes place under canopy of sky. Since ancient times, there is the concept of 'from the soul to the Universe' in our spiritual literature. When we study the relations between human life and nature from the point of view of Vastushastra, we find that this concept is accurately true. Human body is created from the five basic elements in the Universe. Our body is the abode for the soul.

Our building or Vastu is the dwelling place of the body. This building dwells element in nature. It is an integral part nature. Nature is occupied by the five basic element of the Universe. It means that the dwelling place (vastu) of the body comes between the human body and nature. The exchange of energy between human body and nature is an integral part of the nature phenomena. It is the building which comes in between nature and man. This building id also made up of the five basic elements in the Universe. It is, therefore, necessary to keep a balance between the exchange of energy between man and nature. To ensure the right balance, it is necessary to locate these five elements in the building appropriately. So that exchange of energy between the human-body and the nature is attuned perfectly. As a result of this, the inhabitants of the buildings are bestowed with the benefits of Mother Nature energy.

In short the exchange of energy between the body, the buildings and the nature is extremely necessary. It is therefore, imperative that we achieve the balance between the five elements in the Universe the eight directions. It is only after this balance is achieved that we will experience the power of the nature .it is for this very reason that the philosophy, 'from soul to the Universe' is significant from the point of view of the Vastushastra.

(Ref.: http://in.iproperty.com/real-estate/Vastu/FengShui/the-direction-of-houses-in-vastu-plays-important-role.html)

Classical elements in Hinduism

The pancha mahabhuta, or "five great elements", of Hinduism are kshiti or bhūmi (earth), ap or jala (water), tejas or agni (fire), marut or pavan (air or wind), byom or shunya (or akash?) (aether or void). Hindus believe that the Creator used akasha, the most "subtle" element, to create the other four traditional elements; each element created is in turn used to create the next, each less subtle than the last. Hindus believe that all of creation, including the human body, is made up of these five essential elements and that upon death, the human body dissolves into these five elements of nature, thereby balancing the cycle of nature set in motion by the Creator. Each of the five elements is associated with one of the five senses, and acts as the gross medium for the experience of sensations. According to Hindu thought, the basest element, Earth, was created using all the other elements and thus can be perceived by all five senses - hearing, touch, taste, smell, and sight. The next higher element, water, has no odor but can be seen, tasted, heard, and felt. Next comes fire, which can be seen, heard and felt. Air can be heard and felt. "Akasha" (ether)is the medium of sound but is inaccessible to all other senses.

(Ref.: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_element)

Its interesting to note that we include all these 5 elements in 'puja' and chant the sacred element mantras.

Please follow this weblink for an article on 'puja':

http://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/knowledge/article/why-are-puja-articles-arranged-in-specific-five-layers.htm

Creator's work is acknowledged and appreciated.

the Power of Chanting a Mantra.

2010-08-05T08:58:00.001+04:00

Dear All,

I would like to share this info about the Power of Chanting a Mantra.

Mantras are sacred words. Man means 'by repetition' (mananaat). Tra means 'saves' (traayate). It means that which saves one by being repeated mentally. Mantras, repeated mentally, saves one. Mantras are from the Vedas, the most ancient sacred works of India. They may be just one or two words, or they may be running into several words, in a string form. They are in praise of God or Goddess. They are the most powerful words or syllables. Full of potency, they can have either good or bad effects on the person who recites them.

The use of Mantras or the sacred syllables is an important and potent means for achieving Siddhis, or attainments of various powers. Such a power is of the highest order. The second chapter of 'Siva Sutra', a sacred Yoga book, explains the significance of Mantras. It says that the divine power works through the agency of Nada or primoridal sound or vibration.

The very first sutra or aphorism of this chapter says, Cittam mantrah, meaning 'mind is based on Mantra'. Mantra is a particular combination of letters. Its power resides not in the letters themselves, but in the specific vibrations which they produce by their chaning or repetition. Each alphabet, therefore, represents a sound, a vibration. They are 'Aksharas', imperishables. There are several Mantras. There are Mantras for the common man and the seeker. The most powerful of them all is 'Om', the promordial sound. It is called the Pranava Mantra. The most popular and practised is the Gayathri hymn mantra. Pranava and Gayathri bring about unfoldment of the consciousness. Meditated upon them, there is no limit to such an unfoldment.

There is also the powerful Panchakshari, the five-syllabled Mantra addressed to God Siva, prefixed by Om.

The Shiva Panchakshari Mantra (AUM Na . mah. Shi. va. ya)

Om namaha Shivaya (ॐ नम: शिवाय ।). The five lettered (panchakshari) mantra: 'Namaha Shivaya (नम: शिवाय ।)' is the five lettered mantra of Shiva. In a subdivision of the Yajurveda the Rudradhyay begins with these words. The mantra is taken from here. When it is prefixed with a pranav it becomes Om namaha Shivaya, the six lettered (shadakshari) mantra. The spiritual meaning of each letter of the five lettered mantra is as follows:

n (न)	= The foremost deity of all the regions (lokas)
m (म)	= The bestower of supreme spiritual knowledge (dnyan) and destroyer of the greatest sins
Shi (शि)	= Benevolent, serene and responsible for the initiation by Lord Shiva
va (वा)	= The representation of a bull as the vehicle and the Vasuki and Vamangi energies (Shakti)
y (य)	= The auspicious abode of Supreme Bliss and Lord Shiva

Hence obeisance (namaskar) to these five letters.

The above five letters also have a correlation with the tandav dance of Nataraj Shiva which is as follows:

n (न)	= The hand beholding fire (agni)
m (म)	= The foot pressing the demon Mulayak
Shi (शि)	= The hand holding a small hourglass shaped drum (damaru)
va (वा)	= The outstretched hand
y (य)	= The hand bestowing protection.

These five letters are also said to be indicative of God (Ishvar), Energy (Shakti), the soul principle, the unmanifest one (antardhan) and vanquishing of sins.' ⁽²⁾

Similarly there is also the eight-syllable Ashtakshari, addressed to Narayana or Vishnu. ॐ नमो नारायणाय ।

While the word Narayana is general reference to God, it is used mostly to refer to Vishnu and His forms. While most of the names of the Lord are descriptive of Him, the name Narayana is descriptive of what He is to those who worship Him. Naaraayana is a compound of "nara" (man or in general the jiva) and "ayana" (path), and means the culmination of man's path of evolution. He is the goal of evolution, the ultimate abode. This is indicated through various sayings like "Vishnu parama pada is the ultimate destination" and that realized souls "see" His abode as if we see objects in day light (tad vishnoh paramam padagm sada pasyanti surayaH, diveeva cakshuraatatam).

Nara-Naaraayana is the famous jiva-para symbolism. Arjuna-Krishna of Mahabharata are said to be the subsequent lives of Nara and Narayana rishis, and also represent this symbolism.

Narayana Astakshari or the famous eight lettered nama mantra is not only chanted as a nama mantra but also practiced as a mantra Vidya.

It is also said Devi Shakthi is Mantra Priya. Different Mantras are used for worship of different deities. There are sacred hymns for specific purposes, for attainment of particular objectives. They should be used as per directions of a Guru or teacher, with total faith in them. They should be recited correctly so that correct vibrations are produced for attaining the desired objective.Indestructible sound caused the emergence of the universe. It emerged in the rhythmic form during the process of the evolution of universe. This rhythmic sound controls the universe, setting a pattern to it. There is a set pattern to everything, in every branch of creation.

The first sound that emerged during the evolution is the most sacred 'Om'. It is the first sound with three letters, A U M. Om is the most potential of all the Mantras .

It is the most powerful Beejakshara.The Vedas also describe how the universe came into existence. The evolution of the universe is described in the most beautiful and interesting manner in these sacred works. The universe emerged with the coming together of the two powerful units, Purusha and Prakruthi. During this creation, vibrations that arose became the most powerful resonance. Even music and art is attributed to this basic principle of vibration. It is this nada which produced the alphabets. It is this rhythmic sound which keeps life going in the set pattern. The correct chanting of these Mantras can lead the utterer to derive his objective. Correct chanting is a must for setting a correct rhythmic pattern, nada.

Like Om, there are other Beejaksharas, which are very potent and powerful, the silent recitation and meditation on which can result in different powers. The seven such Beejaksharas represent the seven Matrkas or Saptha Matrkas (seven young maidens). They represent goddesses like Lalitha, Mahalakshmi, and Saraswathi.

They also represent the seven colours. Similarly, there are 24 letters in the Gayathri Mantra. The Panchadakshari has 15 letters.These are similar to other Beejaksharas or group of words, which are potent with powers and hence sacred. They represent various tatwas.

The seven swaras in the classical Indian music are known as Saptha Swaras. The seven letters, Sa, Ri, Ga, Ma, Pa, Da, Ni form the core of Indian music. They create the Nada Brahma. They are the creators of Nada. The 24 houses in the classical and ancient Indian musical instrument Veena, represent the powers of the Saptha Matrkas or the seven goddesses.

The recitation of such Beejaksharas leads to Mokasha, liberation from the cycle of life and death. Nada has the power to liberate man from the worldly attachments and enable him to obtain enlightenment, evolve himself into an elevated human being.

Mantras can lead to both spiritual realization or material benefits. It can help in the process of achieving enlightenment. Regular recitation, constant repetition will help soothen the troublesome mind.

One should understand the meaning and significance of the sacred words, before venturing into their recitation, before using them for contemplation or meditation. He should choose the appropriate Mantra for achieving his desired objective. But there are common set of Mantras which can be generally used by the ordinary. By their usage, the disturbed mind can be brought under control. It can ease tensions, help relax body and mind, and thus improve the health of the reciter. Mantras are word powers.

Either they could be used spiritual realisation or material desires. They could be used for one's own welfare or destruction. It is like atomic energy. The energy from the atom can be either used for production of more energy (power), for good or destruction. Its creative or destructive power depends upon the devotion of the man who uses it. One can find Mantras not only in Hinduism, but in various other religions like Buddhism, Jainism, Christianity and Islam though they have different names. They are corresponding words to Mantras.

We can get Mantropadesha from our Guru and discover the potency in us by constant practice.

Mantra As A Tool To Overcome Identities

Manish Pandit

Mantra is a Sanskrit word derived from two roots: manasa or mind and tarana or save. Mantra is something that saves, which uplifts. Who we are today is based on what we identify with. If i identify with the body or the mind then i am a finite person limited by my own finite identification. What is needed is a tool which chips away at this finite identification and helps us become infinite in our awareness and capabilities. Mantra is one such tool.

A mantra contains a string of syllables, set to a meter. The mantra is chanted in a certain set way to get results. Mantras and their sound conceal an image of the deity they represent. When chanted, they produce a specific form of that deity, so a Rama mantra will produce a specific image of Rama, within the consciousness of the one who chants. But initially, this image will form only for the duration of time that the person repeats the mantra. Later on, as the mantra becomes more potent within our consciousness in terms of its ability to produce an actual form of the deity, this image remains with us for longer periods.

We are eventually led to the point where the deity actually becomes present within the sadhaka. This may sound somewhat fantastic, but Ramakrishna Paramhansa, it is said, could see the divine Mother Kali whenever he wanted and eventually his identification with his body had been destroyed that only God was present there. His ability to go into superconscious states is well known.

Mantra sadhana is ideally done in private, where the practitioner feels safe, in a clean and dry place after the sadhaka has bathed and ampleted ablutions. No food should be eaten at least two hours before the practice is undertaken. The body must remain as still as possible. If you are trying to achieve a goal, then don't publicise your sadhana.

Most Vedic mantras require specific intonation of specific syllables, which may be impossible for you to master correctly. A Vedic mantra incorrectly recited is unlikely to yield result.

Mantras can be repeated in three major ways, the most common with your oral speech or vaikhari. This may destroy tamas in the practitioner, but still relies on oral speech and if your Sanskrit is not good then there is a danger that you may not get any result. Furthermore, the problem is that you are unlikely to remain still during recitation.

Upamsu or using your lips is another method, but produces no sound. Finally comes the manasika method that is recitation of the mantra in the mind. This method is best for achieving concentration and mental peace and it should eventually lead to the start of severing the identification of the practitioner with the self. Identification with the deity follows eventually.

Counting of mantra numbers may be useful in the beginning for the first few years and can be done on a rosary of 108 beads. Later on as mantra recitation becomes a daily practice and the need for a rosary diminishes quite significantly.

Eventually the identification of the self with the body may so diminish that the practitioner may enter a state of divine bliss in which one may forget to chant the mantra itself, so overpowering is the silence of divine bliss.

The writer is a consultant & a nuclear medicine physician in the UK, an astrologer, author and a film-maker.

--
Love & Regards

Sachin Shenoy

"There is only one happiness in life, To Love and be Loved"

Creator's work is acknowledged and appreciated.

Origin of Konkani Surnames...

2010-06-11T11:07:00.002+04:00

Mythologically, we are descendents of clan brought by Lord Parsurama, who created Goa by throwing his axe into the sea,and reclaimed the land mass and arrange to settle ninety six families from ten gothras he had led to the new land. Historically, when the religion was reaching its nadir, the king who had learned that highly educated and spiritual commune can be found in Trihut region (present day Mithila in Bihar), he sent his emissary with a request to loan him such persons for uplift of his subjects. The king of Trihut sent ninety-six (is it a coincidence?) families from ten gothras to the new land to propagate religion and philosophy. These families were settled in two different parts of the region. Thirty families were grouped in one commune,and sixty-six in other. The first commune was known as Tiswadys, and the other Shashatis among themselves, and the locals used to call them as a member of Shanavis. Saha means six and Navi means ninety, and our ancestors were known as a family of ninety-six. The word sahanavi later became Shenvi, and then to modern Shenoy or Shanbhag. There exist regions known as Tisuary and Salcettem (Portuguese pronunciation of Shashasti) in Goa. The families from Trihut mingled with the locals taught them and imparted knowledge for which they were brought, and in return started amassing wealth, buying lands, learnt feudalism and slowly became owners of village and rule over the locals. They built temples, started trading and became one of the locals, but with a difference. The difference was the Name. The strongest survives or rules over, and our ancestors were no different. Pai in our language means foot or leg. The common person who had not amassed wealth or power was known as Pai. Their job was menial in maintaining ledgers, doing clerical and odd jobs. The promotions were also there and your surname will change according to the promotion. The Pai who was writing ledgers, were promoted to become Shanbhags (clerks), and to other titles. A person maintaining statistics was called Karni. Land was called Nadu,and the person maintaining land records was known as Nadkarni, and Kulkarni maintained census, and social register. The main source of income was from agriculture, and the person experienced in soil mechanics, afgro-science was called Kamathi. Mathi means soil and Kama is work, that is working in soil ( Kama + Mathi). In Konkani even today we call kamathi not kamath or kamat. Cultivation of herbs for medicinal purpose was rule of the day. The concoction was prepared and dispensed by Vaidya, and the herbs were cultivated by Kinvis, presently called Kini or Keni. The animals required for tilling, transportation and other works were under Haya- Gade (actually Horse tenderer), modernized to Hegde.The daily requirements of every family for survival, presentations, etc were the responsibility of the Ballo. There is another theory that reveals that the foot soldier with a spear was called Ballo. The soldier Ballo(Baliga) was under the command of Nayak. The Brahmins from Trihutpura became feudal lord, and fancied himself as "The Lord" and was called Prabhu. He lived in a palatial home called mahal, and the caretaker was known as Mahalyar, presently modernized to Mallya. The religion was the center of attraction, and every hamlet, village;town had one or more temples. Poojas were performed in every home almost daily. There used be a congregation in the temple everyday to listen to recitation of puranas or other subjects. The poojas in the big temple and its rituals were under Acharya, and in small temples conducted by Bhat. Every family had exclusive priest to perform the rites, and he was the family Purohit. Puraniks recited the kathas and puranas in the temples. The temples were administered by Mahajans and its stores by Bhandari. The village godown was also under the Bhandari or bhandarkar. Kudva did fabricating tools

and tackles (the village blacksmith). Every hamlet had the same profession and hence the limited family names. To differentiate between two prabhus or pais, the person started calling himself from the particular hamlet or village, such as Gokul Shenvi Kakodkar, or Prakash Pai Angle. The word 'Kar" means "From" or citizen of.Thus kakodkar means person from village kakod. This enabled one to identify the profession and the domicile. The Portuguese invasion made people migrate to Ratnagiri in North and entire coast in the South, and slowly the local influence crept into the culture. In Karnataka, the village of refuge was used as a prefix to call oneself Padbidri Mohandas Prabhu, KARKALA ANANTH KINI, TONSE RAJENDRA KINI, KOTTACHERI DEVDAS SHENOY, or Kinnigoli Ramanath Kamath, et all. The kerala civilization induced the name of the house or the exact area rather than the village, and in some places, the present profession was also added to the name. So we have today, Thayyil Muralidhar Kamath ( Thayyil means tailoring house), or Kannaparambil Gopalakrishna Pai ( Parambil means garden or farm belonging to kannan). Today the name has no links with the profession. Mallya owns land, and Kini is a soldier; prabhu works for kamath, and Pai owns the land. The names are stuck; even tough the profession is not. But then what's in a name. A rose is a rose is a rose, even if called by any other name…!!!

Article By Panchkadai Yogi

What is "Goud Saraswat Brahmin" means

2010-06-04T15:42:00.001+04:00

Goud Saraswat Brahmin

Goud (also written as Gowd or Gaud) Saraswat Brahmins are a Konkani or Marathi speaking Hindu Brahmin community in India and a part of the larger Saraswat Brahmin community. They are popularly referred to as GSBs.

History

Saraswats are people of Aryan descent who settled on the banks of the Saraswati River. The river eventually dried up and this led to the migration of the Saraswats from the plains of northern India. Though the exact dates of this migration are unknown, the Rig Veda eulogises the river Saraswati as being huge. It is believed that Lord Parshuram, a Brahmin, also counted as an avatar of Lord Vishnu brought the Saraswats from the northern Indian plains to Goa for the purpose of religious functions.

Lord Parshuram with Saraswat brahmin settlers commanding Lord Varuna to make the seas recede to make the Konkan .
96 families of the Goud (meaning northern) Saraswats came to the southern half of India and hence carried the appellation of 'northern' in the form of the word Goud. In view of the 96 families who formed 96 settlements in Goa - Sasashti (66) (Salcette) + Tissuari (30) (Tiswadi), they were also called Shenoy or sinai or shenvis. There were further settlements in Baradesh (12 settlements) (Bardez), Goa.
The Gowd Saraswats have built many temples in Goa like the Ramnathi temple in Loutolim, and the Mangueshi and Shantadurga temples in Kushasthali and Quellosim along with people from the other Hindu castes. Muslim invasions in the 14th century disrupted their peaceful existence. However, peace was regained when Goa came under the sway of the Hindu Vijaynagar kingdom. This period lasted for about 150 years, until the first European settlers, the Portuguese, landed on India's western coast. The Portuguese, for religious and political motives annexed Goa in 1510. During the Portuguese rule, due to forced conversions to Christianity and extreme oppression by the Jesuits and the Franciscans, the Gowd Saraswats along with their kunbi and gavde Hindu brethren fled to the Canara (in Karnataka), Kerala and Maharashtra. The temples of the Saraswats were destroyed by the Portuguese; however, some courageous people carried the idols of their deities across the Agranashini river (Zuari) into the territory of the Sonde Rajas. Here, they were slowly rebuilt. The Portuguese eventually took over these territories of Antruz Mahal, but their religious zeal had weakened and the temples stood firm.
The Gowd Saraswats have sub-communities such as the Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmins, who were Saraswats from the villages of Kushasthali and Quellossim in Goa. They follow the Chitrapur Mutt. Rajapur Saraswat Brahmins/Balavalikar Gauda Saraswat Brahmins from Rajapur and Balavali village who follow the Kavle Mutt (Ponda, Goa), they are spread over coastal Karnataka, Coorg and Kasaragod taluk in Kerala.
The Gowd Saraswats consider Konkani and sometimes Marathi as their mother tongue, though their generations of sojourn in Karnataka (Kannada) and Kerala (Malayalam) have made them fluent in the major languages of their adopted provinces.
There are many GSB families in Maharashtra [migrated from Goa during Portuguese rule in the 16th century] scattered across the Konkan and all the other major cities - who have "Marathi" and/or "Malwani/Vengurla Konkani"as their mother tongue. GSBs from the southern Konkan region of Maharashtra can, in addition to their mother-tongue Marathi, speak very fluent Malwani Konkani, while those from north Konkan and non-Konkan regions speak only Marathi. Maharashtra has the maximum number of Marathi-speaking GSB's. GSBs from Goa consider Konkani as their true mother-tongue.

The sub-sects of the Goud Saraswats

Shenavi and Sasashtikars [Rajadhyaksha,Gavaskar,Ginde,Satoskar,etc]

Shenavi Paiki

Bardeshkars [Vengsarkar,Asgaonkar,etc]

Pednekars

Lotlikars

Kudaldeshkar Adya Gaud Brahmins(Ajgaonkar, Khanolkar,Samant, Bawkar, Desai,dabholkar....etc.)

Rajapur Saraswat Brahmins/Bhalavalikar Gauda Saraswat Brahmins[Sakhalkar, Tendulkar,...etc]

Rajapur-Bhalavalikars call themselves RSB's. Kudaldeshkars call themselves Kudaldeshkar Brahmins.

GSB Mutts

Sri Goudapadacharya Kavale Mutt (Kavlem, Goa)

Sri Gokarn Partagali Jeevottam Mutt (Partagali, Poinginim (Canacona Taluka, Goa); Gokarn, in Karnataka)

Sri Chitrapur Mutt (Chitrapur, Bhatkal, Karnataka)

Sri Kashi Mutt (Varanasi,Uttar Pradesh)

kudaldeshkar community have their Mutt in dabholi in vengurla.

GSBs in Pune

Many GSBs migrated to Pune during period of Maratha rule. They even established a large settlement colony at Somwar Peth in Pune which is known as the Saraswat colony. During the period of British colonial rule, Pune became a major center of education, military and administration of the Deccan (Desh) region. Many GSBs played a role in the transformation of City which is evident from institutions such as the BORI founded by Prof. Bhandarkar, the newspaper Sakal by Dr. Parulekar. Many GSBs in Pune at that time were hailed from Kolhapur district of south Maharastra and Northern Karnakata,which is nothing but the "Desh" region thus, the British counted them as "Deshastha bramhins" in the census of 1885.

Present

There are about 340,000 GSBs in India and all over the world. The GSB population is declining due to a high number of marriages outside the community as well as emigration have led to this decline.

Surnames

GSB Surnames include

Acharya

Ajgaonkar

Akerkar

Asgaonkar

Bale/Baliga

Bhadri

Bhagat

Bhandarkar

Bhandare

Bhandary

Bhat

Bhaktha

Bhende

Bhise

Bhobe

Bhujle

Chitnis

Deshpande

Desai

Diwadkar

Dubhashi

Galvankar

Gavaskar

Gangokar

Ghanekar

Ghotage

Gole/Goli/Goli-Shanbhag

Gude

Hegde

Joshi

Kaisare

Kamat(h)

Kaamat

Kakodkar

Kanvinde

Kaplish

Karande

Karnataki

Kasbekar

Kotnis

Kudva

Kulkarni

Kini

Laud/Lad/Laad

Mathkar

Mhalsekar

Mallya/Mahale

Mulgaonkar/ Mulgaokar

Muzumdar

Nabar

Nadkarni

Neurekar

Nevrekar

Nerurkar

Nayak

Padiyar

Padukone

Pai Angle

Palekar

Prabhu

Prabhudesai

Phene

Puranik

Rajadhyaksha

Rege

Sonde

Sabnis

Salgaonkar

Samant

Sambari

Sanzgiri

Saraf*

Sardesai

Shanbhag/Shenoy

Senai

Shenvi

Shenoy
Shetye

Shinkar

Shirodkar

Sinari

Sukhtankar

Telang/Patil

Tendulkar

Usgaonkar/Usgaokar

Wagh

Wagle

Warty*

Zantye

Famous GSBs

K. V. Kamath - Ex. CEO, ICICI Bank

Dr. Vijay Mallya - Chairman, United Breweries/ Kingfisher Airlines

Shrimati.Shirish Atre-Pai Marathi writer (GSB by marriage - she is Deshastha from her paternal side, daughter of Acharya Atre)

Dilip Prabhavalkar

Madhur Bhandarkar

Nandan Nilekani - co-chairman and co-founder of Infosys Technologies Ltd.

Dr. M. V. Bhatt - world-renowned organic chemist (retd.) from the Indian Institute of Science

P L Deshpande - most popular Marathi author

Sunil Gavaskar - legendary batsman and cricket captain

Ashok Saraf - popular Marathi cinema actor

Gurudas Kamat - Mumbai Indian National Congress politician, & Minister of State, GOI

Guru Dutt - famous hindi film star was born Gurudutt Padukone. He dropped his surname in films

Suresh Prabhu - Shiv Sena leader, former Power Minister

Vitthal Mallya - father of Vijay Mallya

Dr. M. V. Kamath - Indian journalist, editor and columnist

V. S. Kudva

Mr. Alke Shantharam Pai - philanthropist, communist politician

Dr. T. M. A. Pai - educationist, banker, huminatarian, founder of Manipal Group

N.K.Shinkar - Former Chairman Life Insurance Corporation of India

U Srinivas Mallya - Indian politician and Member of Parliament

Ulhas R. Padiyar

Amol Palekar

C.T. Khanolkar - popular Marathi poet from Vengurla

Dilip Vengsarkar

Purushottam Shivram Rege - Marathi poet, author & educationalist

Dadasaheb Rege

Madhav Mantri

Shyam Benegal

Late Bipin Warty- actor/producer of Marathi movies

Priya Tendulkar-Razdan

Prakash Padukone Famous badminton player

Meena Prabhu - noted Marathi writer

Rashtrakavi M. Govinda Pai(KB)

Ammembal Subba Rao Pai - founder of Canara bank and Canara group of academia

Dr V A Pai Panandiker - founder of Inter National Centre Delhi and Goa)

Kotacheri Manmohan Shenoi - Chairman UCo Bank 1986-1990)

Shri R V Deshpande - former Karnataka Minister)

Late Bantwal Srinivasa Dayanand Baliga (BSD Baliga) - former Chairman Railway Board

Shobha De nee Rajadhyaksha

Dr. T Ramdas M Pai - son of Dr. TMA Pai, founder of Manipal

Sachin Tendulkar

Late Shri Ramdas Nayak

Kamalakar Rajaram Rege (K.R.Rege)- A scholar graduate of J.J.Architecture in 1952- went to London on govt.scholarship in Town Planning and RIBA. Worked on many prestigious architectural projects. One of the last remaining architect from the 'Old School of thoughts'.

History
Brahmins of India were divided into two sections, "Pancha Gowda" and "Pancha Dravida". Saraswats belong to the "Pancha Gowda" category.

Kuldevs of GSBs

Normally Saraswats believe in the concept of "Panchayatan" - worshipping 5 gods like form of Shiva, Vishnu, Durga, Surya and Ganapati. Some GSB Temples still maintain this concept, while others have a single deity instead of five. "Kuldev" or "kuldaivat" are the deities which a set of families primarily worship. Their temples are built and maintained by these families, also called "Mahajans" (or Kulavis) of their respective temple.
Many Kuldevs/Kuldevatas are situated in Goa. However, during the early Portuguese persecutions, many GSBs and Saraswats fled Goa along with their Kuldevs to nearby regions of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala. Hence, besides Goa, there are many GSB Temples in Karnataka (South & North Canara), in Maharashtra (Konkan side like Malwan, Vengurla, Savantwadi, Kudal, Ratnagiri, etc.), in Kerala (Purakkad, Cochi, etc.).
The Popular kuldevs of Gouda Saraswats are:
Kuldevtas located in Goa:

Shri Mangesh Mahalakshmi,Ponda,Goa

Shri Mangesh Maharudra (Mangeshim/Priyol, Ponda, Goa)

Shri Shantadurga (Kavalem, Ponda, Goa)

Shri Navadurga (Madkai, Goa)

Shri Mahalakshmi (Bandiwadem/Bandora, Ponda, Goa)

Shri Nagesh Maharudra (Nageshim, Bandiwadem/Bandora, Ponda Goa)

Shri Mahalsa Narayani (Mardhol, Ponda, Goa)

Shri Ganapati Khandola (Khandola, Goa)

Shri Kaveri Kamakshi Rayeshwar (Shiroda, Ponda, Goa)

Shri Ramnath Shanteri Kamakshi (Ramnathim, Ponda, Goa)

Shri Shantadurga Ravalnath (Mulgaon, Goa)

Shri Devaki Krishna Ravalnath Bhumikadeo (Marcela, Ponda, Goa)

Shri Lakshmi Narsimha (Veilinga, Ponda, Goa)

Shri Damodar (Zambavalim, Goa)

Shri Shankleswari Shantadurga (Gotna, Veiling, Ponda, Goa)

Shri Vijayadurga (Kerim, Ponda, Goa)

Shri Saptakoteshwar (Narve, Goa)

Shri Ravalnath Mahalakshmi (Mulgao, Goa)

Shri Laxminarayan (Khola, Canacona)

Shri Navadurga (Kundaim, Goa)

Shri Navadurga ( Poinguineim, Goa)

Shri Navadurga (Bori, Goa)

Kuldevtas located in Maharashtra:

Shri Navadurga (Vengurla, Redi, Maharashtra){shifted from Goa during Portuguese rule}

Shri Shantadurga, Malwan, Maharashtra

Shri Shantadurga, Sawantwadi, Maharashtra

Kuldevtas located in Karnataka:

Shri Kundodari Mahamaya Chamundeshwari (Shedgeri, Ankola, Karnataka)

Shri Aryadurga (Ankola, Karnataka)

Shri Lakshmi Narayan Mahamaya also known as Nagoa Mahamaya (Ankola, Karnataka)

Shri Ganapati Mahamaya (Shirali, Karnataka)

Shri Katyayni Bhaneshwar (Aversa, Karnataka)

Shri Ganapati Ravalnath Mahamaya (Asnoti, Karnataka)

Shifted Kuldevta Temples during the Portuguese rule:

Shri Ramnath Shanteri Kamakshi (Kumta, Karnataka)

Shri Kaveri Kamakshi Rayeshwar (Kumta, Karnataka)

Shri Mahalsa Narayani (Kumta, Karnataka)

Shri Shri Lakshmi Narsimha (Moolki, Karnataka)

Shri Devaki Krishna Ravalnath (Kagal, Karnataka)

Shri Mahalsa Narayani (Moodabidri, Karnataka)

The above Kuldevtas are of the Shenavi, Bardeshkars, Sasashtikars, Pednekars, Shenavi Paiki, Lotlikars and of the Goud Brahmins of Karnataka.
The Kudaldeshkar & Rajpur Saraswats Kuldevtas are different than those of the above:

Shri Sharvani-Mahadev Maharudra Vetal (Goa)

Shri Ravalnath (Valawal, Kudal)

Shri Vetal or Vetoba (Goa Canacona Taluka & Maharashtra)

Shri Kaleshwar (Nerur, Sindhudurg Dist, Maharashtra)

Shri Aadinarayan (Parule, Taluka Vengurla, Maharashtra)

Shri Narasimha (Narasinghe, Karnataka)

Shri Bhavani-Shankar (Kavle Mutt, Goa)

Shri Durgaparameshwari (Montimaru, Karnataka)

Shri Durgaparameshwari (Bantakal, Karnataka)

Shri Durgaparameshwari (Mogeru, Karnataka)

Shri Adishakti Mahalaxmi (Laxmipura, Karnataka)

Shri Bhagvati Vana devi (Goa)

Shri Aryadurga (Kudal, Maharashtra)

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Creator's work is acknowledged and appreciated.

Hindu Caste System - Why did it start & How did it start - Information from the Puranas

2010-04-23T12:27:00.002+04:00

Let us peep into the Purana's and our Vedic Scriputres and know what is the truth? .

We being Saraswat Brahmin's need to know what is truth.

======= Understanding Hinduism =======

The Caste System

Click on underlined words to open paragraph
The Four Orders of Human Beings
From the Mahabharata
Purity of Birth
From the Mahabharata
Low Birth & High Birth
From the Mahabharata
Time Assails The Energy Of Righteousness
From the Mahabharata
Brahmanas and Sudras (From Tulasi Ramayana)
The Four Varnas Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
__________________
The Four Orders of Human Beings, Often misunderstood , misused or abused and generally known as

The Caste System
(Brahman, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas and Sudras)
In the Bhagavad Gita, Ch.4, Verse 13
The Lord says:
"The fourfold caste has been created by Me
according to the differentiation of Guna and Karma;"
In the Bhagavad Gita, Ch.18, verse 40
the Lord says:
"There is no being on earth, or again in heaven among the
gods, that is liberated from the three qualities born of Nature."
Gita Ch. 18, V.41:
"Of Brahmanas, Kshtriyas and Vaishyas, as also the Sudras,
O Arjuna, the duties are distributed according to the qualities
born of their own nature."
[Note: The word 'GUNA' in Vedanta means prakriti (Satwa,
Rajas and Tamas). The principle of caste system is not
confined to any one country. It applies to all human beings of
all races, in all countries. This Sanatan principle is eternal and
is not subject to change. It remains unchanged in the past, in the
present and in the future.]
__________________
The following explanation is from The Mahabharata,
The Four Orders of human Beings
From The Mahabharata
Santi Parva, Section CLXXXVIII
Translated by Sri Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Brigu said, "..... (The Creator created) human beings with their four divisions, viz., Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, and Sudras. The complexion the Brahmanas obtained was white; that which the Kshatriyas obtained was red; that which the Vaisyas got was yellow; and that which was given to the Sudras was black."
[The commentator explains that the words expressive of hue or colour really mean attributes. What is intended to be said is that the Brahmanas had the attribute of Goodness (Sattwa); the second order had the attribute of Passion (Rajas); the third got a mixture of the two, i.e., both goodness and passion (Sattwa and Rajas); while the lowest order got the remaining attribute, viz., Darkness (Tamas).].
Bharadwaja said, "If the distinction between the four orders of human beings be made by means only of colour (attribute), then it seems that all the four orders have been mingled together. Lust, wrath, fear, cupidity, grief, anxiety, hunger, toil,- possess and prevail over all men. How can men be distinguished by the possession of attributes?
The bodies of all men emit sweat, urine, faeces, phlegm, bile, and blood. How then can men be distributed into classes? Of mobile objects the number is infinite; the species also of immobile objects are innumerable. How then, can, objects of such very great diversity be distributed into classes?"
Brigu said,"There is really no distinction between the different orders. The whole world at first consisted of Brahmanas. Created equal by the Creator, men have in consequence of their acts, become distributed into different orders. They that became fond of indulging in desire and enjoying pleasures, possessed of the attributes of severity and wrath, endued with courage, and unmindful of the duties of piety and worship, - these Brahmanas possessing the attribute of Passion, - became Kshatriyas.
Those Brahmanas again who, without attending to the duties laid down for them, became possessed of both the attributes of Goodness and Passion, and took to the professions of cattle-rearing and agriculture, became Vaisyas. Those Brahmanas again that became fond of untruth and injuring other creatures, possessed of cupidity, - engaged in all kinds of acts for a living, and fallen away from purity of behaviour, and thus wedded to the attribute of Darkness, became Sudras.
Separated by these occupations, Brahmanas, falling away from their own order, became members of the other three orders. All the four orders, therefore, have always the right to the performance of all pious duties and of sacrifices. Even thus were the four orders at first created equal by Brahma (the Creator) who ordained for all of them (the observances disclosed in) the words of Brahma (in the Vedas). Through cupidity alone, many fell away, and became possessed by ignorance.
The Brahmanas always devoted to the scriptures on Brahma; and mindful of vows and restraints, are capable of grasping the conception of Brahman. Their penances therefore, never go for nothing. They amongst them are not Brahmanas that are incapable of understanding that every created thing is Supreme Brahman.
These, falling away, became members of diverse (inferior) orders. Losing the light of knowledge, and betaking themselves to an unrestrained course of conduct, they take birth as Pisachas and Rakshasas (demons)and Pretas and as individuals of diverse Mleccha species.
The great Rishis who at the beginning sprang into life (through the Creator`s will) subsequently created, by means of their penances, men devoted to the duties ordained for them and attached to the rites laid down in the Eternal Vedas. That other Creation, however, which is eternal and undecaying, which is based upon Supreme Brahman and has sprung from the Primevel God, and which has its refuge upon yoga, is a mental one."
Bharadwaja said:" By what acts does one become a Brahman? By what a Kshatriya? By what acts again does one become a Vaisya or a Sudra? Tell me this, O foremost of speakers."
Bhrigu said, "That person is called a Brahman who has been sanctified by such rites as those called JATA and others; who is pure in behaviour; who is engaged in studying the Vedas; who is devoted to the six well-known acts (of ablutions every morning and evening, silent recitation of mantras, pouring libations on the sacrificial fire, worshipping the deities, doing the duties of hospitality to guests, and offering food to the Viswedevas); who is properly observant of all pious acts; who never takes food without having offered it duly to gods and guests; who is filled with reverence for his preceptor; and who is always devoted to vows and truth.
He is called a Brahmana in whom are truth, gifts, abstention, from injury to others, compassion, shame, benevolence and penance.
He who is engaged in the profession of battle, who studies the Vedas, who makes gifts (to Brahmanas) and takes wealth (from those he protects) is called a Kshatriya.
He who earns fame from keep of cattle, who is employed in agriculture and the means of acquiring wealth, who is pure in behaviour and attends to the study of the Vedas, is called a Vaisya.
He who takes pleasure in eating every kind of food, who is engaged in doing every kind of work, who is impure in behaviour, who does not study the Vedas, and whose conduct is unclean, is said to be a Sudra.
If these characteristics be observable in a Sudra, and if they be not found in a Brahmana, then such a Sudra, is no Sudra, and such a Brahmana is no Brahmana. By every means should cupidity and wrath be restrained.
This as also self-restraint, are the highest results of Knowledge. Those passions (cupidity and wrath), should, with one`s whole heart, be resisted.They make their appearance for destroying one`s highest good.
One should always protect one`s prosperity from one`s wrath, one`s penance from pride; one`s knowledge from honour and disgrace; and one`s soul from error.
That intelligent person, who does all acts without desire of fruit, whose whole wealth exists for charity, and who performs the daily Homa, is a real renouncer (karma-sannyasa).
One should conduct oneself as a friend to all creatures, abstaining from all acts of injury. Rejecting the acceptance of all gifts, one should, by the aid of one`s intelligence, be a complete master of one`s passions. One should live in one`s soul where there can be no grief. One would then have no fear here and attain to a fearless region hereafter. One should live always devoted to penances, and with all passions completely restrained; observing the vow of taciturnity, and with soul concentrated on itself; desirous of conquering the unconquered senses, and unattached in the midst of attachments.
The indications of a Brahmana are purity, good behaviour and compassion unto all creatures."
For Continuation of this article Pl read this :- http://www.hinduism.co.za/caste.htm
With Regards

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