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"The envious man is more dangerous than a serpent". Oh how true this is!!!!

2/22/2013

Chanakya

Enemies arise due to man’s envious nature. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says that there are two envious animals—serpents and men.

Although you may be faultless, either may kill you.

Of the two,

Cāṇakya paṇḍita says that the envious man is more dangerous than a serpent.

Madhvacharya

2/18/2013

Sri Madhvacharya was born in the year 1238 A.D, on the Vijayadashami day of the month of Aswayuja in a village about three miles from Udupi in South Canara. His father was a pious brahmin belonging to Bhagavata Sampradaya and a pauranic by profession. Sri Madhvacharya was born at a late period in his father’s life after constant prayer and dedication of vows to Ananteswara in Udipi.

Madhyageha Bhatta, the father, was therefore happy and proud in no ordinary degree in his son whom he christened Vasudeva. Boy Vasudeva was very precocious and his father taught him the three Rs in the privacy of his house. Not even had the boy attained his teens, when he felt an inner urge he could not resist, to taking to the holy orders and took sanyasa under Achutaprekshacharya in Udipi.

Achutaprekshacharya had been brought up in the then current Adwaita school of thought but the philosophy of that school did not appeal to the new sanyasi. Achutaprekshacharya was somewhat displeased with his new disciple but he was however very much impressed with the earnestness, and scholarship of his disciple whom he had named as Purnaprajna. Purnaprajna thereupon began to preach his own philosophy according to which the world is real, the individual souls are different from Brahman, and Vishnu is the Highest Entity in the universe.

Many a pandit and scholar of other schools came to him for debate and went back defeated by his keen and irrefutable logic. Purnaprajna, in order to propagate his faith undertook a pilgrimage to various shrines in South India and the pilgrimage was also an opportunity to meet opponents of other schools in the different places. Immediately after he returned from the pilgrimage Purnaprajna wrote the commentary on BhagavadGita. The Gita Bhashya (commentary on the Gita ) is the first work of the Acharya.

Seven years after he took to holy orders Purnaprajna commenced a pilgrimage to the North where he touched Benares, Allahabad, Dwaraka, Delhi and other places and reached the famous Badrikshetra. He composed the Brahmasutra Bhashya at this place and went further North alone, all by himself, to the depths of Himalayas, where Sri Vedavyasa is said to have his abode.. On his return journey Purnaprajna came to the banks of Godavari and had debates with two eminent and scholarly pandits Sobhana Bhatta and Samasastry belonging to Adwaita school.

The Pandits were defeated in the debate and with the conviction of the truth of the school of philosophy expounded by Purnaprajna, both of them became his disciples taking up Sanyasa. Shobana Bhatta became the famous Padmanabhatirtha who succeeded to the pontifical seat of Purnaprajnacharya. Samasastry became Narahari Thirtha and at the behest of the acharya stayed behind to obtain the images of Mula Rama and Sita from the treasury of the local prince. Padmanabha Tirtha followed his master and was greatly devoted to him.

After his return to Udipi Purnapragna began to write various works establishing the new system of philosophy which has come to be called Dwaitasiddhanta. The cardinal point which distinguishes his system from others is the essential difference between Brahman who is Independent and all else which are dependent.

This system has therefore come t be called Dwaitasiddhanta (the philosophy of Basic difference), Purnaprajnacharya declares himself at the end of many of his works to be an avatar of the Wind God Vayu and says that his avatar as Purnaprajna has been foretold in the srutis where he has been called Madhva. Purnapragnacharya is therefore popularly known as Sri Madhvacharya.

The Acharya founded the Sri Krishna temple at Udipi and established eight mutts, the sanyasis of which has to worship the image by rotation. The system of rotation has continued until the present da at Udipi. Sri Madhva wrote commentaries or Bhashyas on the ten principal Upanishads, the special treatises called Prakaranas ten in number, the Gita Tatparya and other works during this period.

Sri Madhvacharya under took the second tour to the north again. He met Jalaluddin Khilji at Delhi and seems to have conversed with him in Urdu. After returning from North he spent the rest of his life in Udipi occasionally visiting a place called Vishnumangala near Udipi.

During one of his visits to Vishnumangala he had to meet a reputed champion of the Adwaita school by name
Trivikramapanditacharya. The debate between them seems to have extended to fifteen days and covered all the different systems of philosophy like the Bauddha, Sankhya, Nyaya and Adwaita.

In the end Trivikramapanditacharya has to admit defeat. He was very much impressed with the Acharya and became his disciple having renounced Adwaita and accepting the Dvaita sidhanta. The conversion of Pandita Trivikrama was a great moral victory for the Acharya and many were the new adherents to his system. Trivikrama Panditacharya became so devoted the Acharya He wrote the commentary known as Tatvapradipa on the Brahmasutra Bhashya of Sri Madhwacharya. At his request Sri Madhvacharya wrote a metrical commentary on the Brahmasutras which is famous as Anuvyakhyana.

Sri Madhvacharya had many disciples belonging to the Sanyasa ashrama and many disciples who were house holders. He vanished from the sight of men in his eightieth year in the month of Magha on the 9th day of the bright fortnight while he was teaching the Aitareya Upanishad Bhashya to his disciples. A shower of flowers is said to have rained on him and he vanished from the sight of men in the shower of flowers.

Sri Madhvacharya has written in all thirty seven works. and they are collectively called Sarvamula. Four of his works are on Brahmasutras, two on Bhagavad Gita, ten are the commentaries on ten Upanishads, one on the Mahabharata and one on the Bhagavata in order to determine their import and ten are the prakaranas. The Rigbhashya is a commentary on the Rigveda (for a few typical Riks).

Seven of his works are of the Stotra type. Nobody can fail to be impressed by his works. His method is very brief and simple. His logic is infallible and energetic. The depth of his scholarship is seen in the profuse ness range and variety of quotations from various religious texts. His familiarity with the Upanishadic, puranic, tantric and other literature is in ample evidence in all his works. He is singularly free from the use of alankaraprayoga and he is very matter of fact in all his arguments.

The Brahmasutra Bhshya of the Acharya possesses in full measure the characteristics a Bhashya should possess. (A words in which the meaning of the sutras is explained by words similar to those in the sutras and in which the author explains his own words is called a Bhashya.)

Accordingly the Brahmasutra Bhashya of the Acharya of Sri Madhvacharya is a very brief and precise composition in contrast with the Bhashyas of the Acharyas of the other systems. Sri Madhvacharya however reserves polemical treatment of the Brahmasutras to be effective in Anuvyakhyana. The commentaries on the Upanishads are peculiar and philosophical hosts in themselves. Sri Madhvacharya invariably quotes appropriate puranic and Vedic literature and samhitas with purport to to explain the Upanishadic passages.

The direct disciples of Sri Madhvacharya, viz. Padmanabha Tirtha, Narahari Tirtha, Trivikramapanditacharya and others have written commentaries on his works. These are called Prachina tikas. They were followed by the brilliant commentaries of Jayatirtha who is famous as Tikacharya.

Jayathirtha has written commentaries on almost all the works of Sri Madhvacharya. In particular the commentary on Anuvyakhyana called “Nyayasudha” is famous as a commentary of the highest merit. The works of Jayathirtha have been commented upon by many later scholars of whom Vyasarja and Raghavendra Tirtha are well known.

Sri Hari Sarvothama Vayu Jivothama
Hinduism forgotten facts on FB

February 15th, 2013

2/15/2013

Take up one idea.

Make that one idea your life - think of it, dream of it, live on that idea.

Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone.

This is the way to success, that is way great spiritual giants are produced.

Swami Vivekananda

Documentary of The Bauls of Bengal.. Mystics who know the Tantra of Music and Dance... Nada Yoga, Bhakti Yoga... when a Baul sings all your chakra's automatically wake up... Jai Guru..

2/12/2013

Hindu Units of Measurement..

2/10/2013

Share this ancient heritage!!

Ancient Sanskrit texts(Vedas and Puranas) describe a massive range of units of Kāla(time) measurements, spanning right across from the Paramānu (about 17 microseconds ) to the Mahā-Manvantara (311.04 trillion years ). According to these texts, the creation and destruction of the universe is a cyclic process, which repeats itself forever. Each cycle starts with the birth and expansion (lifetime) of the universe equaling 311.04 trillion years, followed by its complete annihilation (which also prevails for the same duration).
The Hindu metrics of time ( Kāla Vyavahāra ) can be summarized as below.
Sidereal metrics

*. a Paramānu (परमाणु) is the normal interval of blinking in humans, or approximately 4 seconds
*. a Vighati (विघटि) is 6 Paramānu, or approximately 24 seconds.
*. a Pala (पल) is 60 Vipala. It is equal to 1 Vighati(विघटि)
*. a Ghati (घटि) is 60 Vighatis, or approximately 24 minutes
*. a Muhūrta (मुहूर्त) is equal to 2Ghatīkā, or approximately 48 minutes
*. a Nakṣatra Ahorātram (नक्षत्र अहोरत्रम्) or sidereal day is exactly equal to 30 Muhūrta (Note: A day is considered to begin from & end at sunrise, not midnight.)
An alternate system described in the Viṣnu Purāna Time measurement section of the Viṣnu Purāna Book I Chapter III is as follows:
*. 10 blinks of the eye = 1 Kāṣnhās
*. 35 Kāṣnhās = 1 Kalā
*. 20 Kalās = 1 Muhūrta
*. 30 Muhūrtas = 1 day (24 hours)
*. 30 days = 1 month
*. 6 months = 1 Ayana
*. 2 Ayanas = 1 year or one day (day + night) of the gods
Small units of time used in the Vedas
*. a Paramānu (about 16.8 microseconds)
*. a Anu is 2 Paramānus
*. a Trasarenu is 3 Anus
*. a Truti is 3 Trasarenus , or about1/3290th of a second.
*. a Vedha is 100 Trutis .
*. a Lava is 3 Vedhas .
*. a Nimeṣa is 3 Lavas , or a blink.
*. a Kṣanas is 3 Nimeṣas .
*. a Laghu is 15 Kāṣnhās , or about1 minute.
*. 6 or 7 Muhūrta make one Yāma , or 1/4 of a day or night (according to the Bhāgavata & Brahma-Vaivarta Purāna. The actual number would have to be slightly less than 6 Muhūrtas per Yama for consistency (6 times 35/36ths).)
*. 4 praharas or 4 yamas are in each day or each night . (8 in a full day)
Lunar metrics
*. a tithi or lunar day is defined as the time it takes for the longitudinal angle between the moon and the Sun to increase by 12 ° . Tithis begin at varying times of day and vary in duration from approximately 19 to approximately 26 hours.
*. a paksa (also Pakṣa ) or lunar fortnight consists of 15 tithi s
*. a Māsa or lunar month (approximately 29.5 days) is divided into 2 Pakṣas: the one between new moon and full moon (waxing) is called gaura (bright) or Śukla Pakṣa ; the one between full moon and new moon (waning) Krṣna (dark) paksha
*. a Rtu (or season ) is 2 Māsa
*. an ayana is 3 Rtus
*. a year is 2 Ayanas
Tropical metrics
*. a Yāma (याम) is 7½ Ghati s (घटि)
*. 8 Yāma s 1 half of the day (either day or night)
*. an Ahorātra is a tropical day (Note: A day is considered to begin and end at sunrise , not midnight.)
Reckoning of time among other entities:
Reckoning of time amongst the Pitrs ( ancestors )
*. 1 human fortnight (14 days) = 1day of the Pitrs
*. 30 days of the Pitrs = 1 month of the Pitrs = (14 x 30 = 420 human days)
*. 12 months of the Pitrs = 1 year of the Pitrs = (12 months of Pitrs x 420 human days = 5040 human days)
*. The lifespan of the Pitrs is 100 years of the Pitrs (= 36,000 Pitr days = 504,000 human days)
Reckoning of time amongst the Devas
*. 1 human year = 1 day of the Devas.
*. 30 days of the Devas = 1 month of the Devas. (= 30 human years)
*. 12 months of the Devas = 1 yearof the Devas = 1 divine year (= 360 human years)
*. The lifespan of the Devas is 100 years of the Devas (= 36,000 human years)

From Wonderful Indian Architecture on Facebook..

Snakes according to India!! Serpents

2/10/2013

SERPENTS

As the dragon gives way to the black snake, this year is predicted to be an exciting year of ups and downs. ‘Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience’ said Ralph Waldo Emerson. ‘Nagayuna’ in Indian alchemy seeks to achieve loving harmony between the physical and ethereal. In other words, all of us are striving to better ourselves by calmly easing into places of personal balance within the cosmic balance of the whole.

Snakes are a symbol of healing and primal energy. In art, the Naginis are figures of beauty. In many Hindu societies, snakes are worshipped as guardians of the home; and it is said that when a snake enters your life, there will be a new birth of creativity and wisdom. In Bengal, the Goddess Manasa, a divine Nagini, is worshipped for her powers to vanquish illness. Generally serpents live for hundreds of years and signify eternity. The Bhavishyapuran mentions heavenly serpents such as Takshak, Vasuki, Shesha and Ananta. Rig Veda 1.32.3 mentions of the killing of Vitra, the first born of Serpents. Serpent means cloud and Vitra withholds the waters in the clouds and the necessary rain. He is killed by Indra, Lord of the Gods.

LORD SIVA:

Usually venomous serpents symbolise death. For Lord Shiva, snakes are decorations. As Mrtyunjaya, he is the conqueror of death. To those who seek, Lord Siva charms like a ‘snake charmer’. The Matsya Purana depicts Lord Siva as garlanded with snakes. The Lingapurana depicts Linga with five headed hood. As Pasupathinath, Siva is the lord of all creatures. Vasuki is shown curled three times around the neck of the Lord and is looking towards His right side depicting a complete control over its behavior. It represents wisdom and eternity. He has mountains as abodes and carries nothing precious. With the flow of Ganges, the deer-skin clothes and Vasuki Naga, He symbolizes the nature of simple living. In Kailasa, snakes serve Lord Shiva as necklace, armlets and appear in his clothes. They also serve as his bowstring. According to legends, to the displeasure of Daksha, snakes found on Lord Shiva’s body became ornaments during his marriage with Parvati.

SIVALINGA HOOD:

The ShivaLinga has a canopy of a five headed snake. The Puranas enrich this symbolism. The five hoods are symbolic of the five senses or Tattvas - earth, water, fire, air and ether. Snakes are known for their hissing and thus represent the five Praanas. The Lord Himself became the five Tanmatras.

TANMATRAS:

‘Tan’ means subtle and ‘matra’ means elements. Thus ‘tanmatra’ means the five elements that manifest in the functioning of the five senses as well as in certain functions of human physiology. The serpent of Siva’s neck represents Jiva or the individual soul. He is the Paramatman or Supreme Soul. The five hoods stand for the five senses of the five Tattvas. They also represent the Pranas, which hiss in the body. The inhalation and exhalation are like the hissing of the serpent. The Lord is himself the Tanmatras, the five Jnanendriyas and the other five Karmendriyas. Another meaning of ‘tan’ is mother, and ‘matra’ also means matter — the mother of matter. The Mother of this whole world is the tanmatras. The tanmatras are in the womb of the Cosmic Mother, Prakriti. Through jnana, humans gain control over the senses, the mind and find eternal rest with the Supreme Lord.

LORD DHANWANTRI:

Lord Dhanwantri is the physician to the Gods. He studied vegetable and animals toxins as ayurveda. Ayurveda traces its source from the Atarvaveda. It is also connected to religion and mythology. He received his knowledge from Brahma, the God of Creations. Brahma gave the knowledge to Prajapati who passed it to the celestial twin physicians, Ashwini Kumari then to Dhanvantari. Ayurveda studies all venoms including snake venom. This is also connected to the chemicals of plants and fungi which have healing powers or provide expanded consciousness. Serpents have herbal knowledge, thus they are close to divinity and nature.

Dhanvantari appeared during Samudra manthan to deliver amrit. This spisode is symbolic churning of the ocean to depict endeavor of a person to achieve Self realization through concentration of senses, control of all desires, austerities and asceticism. During the churning, milk first produced a deadly poison the halahala. Only Lord Siva could swallow it. He is beyond all venoms. Indeed Siva is the oldest creator or physician of the world. It is within his confines we have two major puranic legends. They are the head transplant – Lord Ganesha and antidote of poison in the Samudra manthan. Vasuki, another serpent was the churning rope in the churning of the ocean of bliss to produce amrit.

PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE:

This symbolism represents endless cycles of birth and regeneration. The three coils of the snake symbolize the past, present and future - time in cycles. Coiled serpents may also represent cycles of tile in the macrocosm and the basic energy. The Lord wearing the curled snake like an ornament signifies that creation proceeds in cycles and is time dependent, but the Lord Himself transcends time. The right side of the body symbolizes positivity and the human activities based upon knowledge, reason and logic. The snake looking towards the right side of the Lord signifies that the Lord's eternal laws of reason and justice preserve natural order in the universe. It also shows Siva as the master of time and energy both represented symbolically by serpents around his neck.

SARANAGATHI:

Snakes instill fear and symbolize evil and demonic quality. The garland around his neck establishes that even snakes fear the Lord and remain completely subdued under His control. He gives us the assurance that no evil can touch us or destroy us once there is ‘saranagathi’ or surrender to Him, seek His protection and worship him with deep devotion. To the Lord, snakes are simple ornaments depicting ‘abhyam’ or fearlessness. Snakes have a long life and in that sense the Lord symbolizes ‘amirtham’ or immortality.

CASTING OF SKIN:

Their casting of the skin represents immortality for being reborn. Snakes regularly moult or shed their skin. This is the symbol of rebirth, transformation, immortality and healing. Lord Siva is Eternity and continual renewal of life. Lord Shiva dissolves and recreates the universe. Like a yogi, a snake hoards nothing, carries nothing, builds nothing, lives on air alone for a long time, and lives in mountains and forests. Its divine aspect combined with its habitat is connected to afterlife and immortality.

DESIRES:

The snake also stands for all passions and desires. By wearing the snakes around his neck, Lord Siva conveys the message to all his devotees that He has overcome all desires and is in full control of Prakriti, or maya and its various machinations. Often additional snakes are depicted - one, as a sacred thread around his body, and two more, around his wrists as bracelets or his arms as armlets. Having the snakes wrapped around him suggest his control over desire and the sensual world and the lack of effect that maya or illusory world has on him. Another symbolism is that the snake on neck represents ego which once controlled can be worn as an ornament.

NILAKANTHA:

Mahavishnu, while floating on the cosmic waters, reclines on the serpent Shesha eternally. As Ananta-Shesha it holds all the planets if the universe on its hoods constantly singing the glories of Vishnu. Shesha was used as a churning rod by the Asuras and Devas to churn the ocean of milk in the heavens to make Amrita, the divine elixir of immortality. The most famous myth of Lord Shiva’s association with snakes is when he drinks the poison ‘kalakuda’ from Snake Vasuki’s mouth during the churning of ocean to get amrit. He does this for the well being of the Universe. From that day, Lord Shiva becomes blue throated and is called Nilakantha.

NAGA WORSHIP:

Goddess Manasa is said to be the queen of the snakes. Nature worship includes worship of Nagas or Nagadeva, the Snake God. Nagaraja, is the male aspect of the king of serpents; Nagakanni is the female aspect. Female snake goddess is also called Nagarani. Sometimes they are revered in their live form. Their termite nests are given a shelter and offered naivedya on auspicious days. Generally Nagaraja is a name given to the guardian of lakes and rivers. It also refers to serpent kings.

In several cultures, snakes were symbolic of strength and renewal. Nagas form an important part of Hindu mythology. Hindu temple or stone carvings depict Naga worship and offerings of food and flowers. Snakes are a symbol of healing and primal energy. Hindus invoked divinity seeking protection against serpents of the underworld believed to be responsible for death and disease.

Nagas have powerful symbolism. Nagas are representative of rebirth, death and immortality due to its symbolic casting of skin. Shesha, Vasuki, Anantha, Kaliya, Manasa, Padmanabha – guardian snake in the sourthern cultures, Astika – half Brahmin and half naga and Kulika are subject matters of Naga worship. While Naga worship is not time restricted, Naga Panchami festival takes place on the fifth day of Shravana. On this day milk, eggs and incense is offered to Naga.

NAVAGRAHAS:

Sri Rahu and Ketu are also great Snake Gods as well as planetary deities. They are described as malefic planets as they are giving great tribulations to the people in case of unfavourable horoscope positions. Rahu, in half part, was earlier known as Savarbhanu. He acquired special charachteristics as a result of churning the ocean milk. When Mohini was passing down the line of devas and giving them amrita, one of the Daitya with four arms and a tail, had slipped between Surya and Chandra to receive the amrita by trickery. Surya and Chandra discovered the fraud and summon Lord Vishnu. He cuts the asura in two with his discuss. Being recipient of the amrita the cut parts survive. The head became Rahu and trunk became Kethu. They took their place in the stellar sphere as ascending and descending nodes. But as vengeance would have it, Rahu never forgot his hatred for the sun and moon. With leave granted that on certain occasions Rahu should approach these gods and render them unclean, so that their bodies at these times become thin and black. With his mouth agape, he pursues them as a celestial serpent, in turn through the sky and sometimes catches up to swallow them, thus causing eclipse.

KUNDALINI:

The Latin term for serpent is ‘serpens’ implying a crawling snake. In Yoga, kundalini is described as a coiled up or coiled serpent lying dormant in the muladhara chakra. It is described as ‘serpent power’ lying dormant and ascends upwars when one starts his or her spiritual journey. Yoga Kundalini Upanishad 1.82 states that ‘the divine power, kundalini, shines like the stem of a young lotus; like a snake, coiled round herself she holds her tail in her mouth and lies resting half asleep as the base of the body. According to this Upanishad, Kundalini Shakti, coiled and dormant ‘feminine’ energy, is the vast potential of psychic energy contained within us all. The object of the practice of Kundalini Yoga is to awaken the serpent, Shakti. When she is ready to unfold, she ascends through the spinal chakras to unite above the crown of the head with Siva, the Pure Consciousness pervading the whole universe’.

The snake around the neck of Siva also conveys the meaning that in him the kundalini not only has arisen fully but is also actively involved in His divine activity by keeping an eye on all the devotees who approach Siva with their individual problems. The depiction of snakes along with Shiva, indicate that Shiva is the master of this cosmic energy and controls it the way he deems fit.

LORD KRISHNA:

Gita 10.28: Of weapons, I am the thunderbolt, among cows I am surabhi. Of causes for procreation, I am Kamadeva, the God of Love and of serpents I am Vasuki.

MYTHOLOGY:

Kaliya was the king of Kaliraman near Mathura. In myths, he as a poisonous Naga living in the Yamuna river. Except for a solitary kadamba tree, all living things were affected by the poison waters of the Yamuna. Kaliya coiled around Krishna when he falls into the Yamuna while climbing the kadamba tree. The Lord manifests his true self and became so huge that Kaliya had to release him. Krishna then danced on Kaliya’s head but Kaliya’s wife prayed to Krisha for his release. He was pardoned and let free.

Hara Hara Mahadeva
(draft Nature in Hindu Way of Life)

By Yogi Ananda Saraswathi

Rare Photo of Snakes mating .. it is said to be Good Luck..

2/9/2013

Bee Honey Madhu.. Kamadeva.

2/1/2013

BEE SYMBOLISM –

KAMADEVA is the Hindu God of Human Love. He is also the God of Desires. As part of his iconography, Kama wields a bow made of sweet sugarcane with a string made of honeybees. The famous Indian poet Kalidasa recounts; “A stalwart soldier comes, the spring, Who bears the bow of Love; and on that bow, the lustrous string is made of bees….Weaves a string of Bees with deft invention, To speed the missile when the bow is bent.”

His five arrows are decorated with five kinds of flowers; Ashoka tree flowers, white and blue lotus flowers, jasmine flowers and mango tree flowers. These flowers play host to honey-extracting bees. Five arrows and five types of flowers represent the objects of sight, sound, smell, taste and touch and the aggregates of form, feeling, perception, motivational factors and consciousness.

Kama’s attributes are the cuckoo bird, a parrot, humming bees, the season of spring and the gentle breeze. His hook and noose are honey-laden. These attributes characterize his activities of bewitching and enchanting through seductive magnetism, just as bees are drawn and intoxicated by the nectar of flowers.

Also, Kama shoots at the living entities using the sugarcane bow stringed with hovering bees and flowered arrows. This symbolizes the mind succumbing to desires and lust.

In Tamil Sangal literature, the Civaka Cintamani, metaphorically, bees flying around flowers symbolize foreplay and moving from one flower to another as gazing into each other, smiling, holding hands, embracing and kissing. Its final rest to extract honey represents maithuna or sexual consummation. In many religions honey bees are described as the messengers of the gods and in Kama’s instance, honey bees are powering the arrows of love. The assumption here is Kama’s arrows not being a fatal instrument.

Is there a Shakti in here somewhere….. Why not? First, there is Rati, Kama’s enchanting wife who pleads his case when he is reduced to ashes by Lord Shiva. It is Mother Parvati’s sympathy that revives Kama back to life. Secondly, bees are not from a queenless colony. Humans seldom realize how complicated a bee-hive is. They have a mother to care for them and provide sustenance. She is a powerful symbol as if she is a leader of a busy village clicking like a clock. In the bee-hive she is the accepted keeper. Each has a job to do in a lovely home unlike some regretful human loveless home.

Bees realize that all of nature is in harmony. In this bees are also powerful symbols of life and death in which rebirth is an important part. It is a romantic illusion of love; apparently bees also have secret love lives…..

Hara Hara Mahadeva
(draft Bee symbolism)

by Yogi Ananda Saraswathi

Nava Gunjara

2/1/2013

NAVAGUNJARA.

What is impossible to define in human reason, is possible in divine thoughts. Hindu mythology is rich in symbolism and metaphors. They aid in getting an idea across because ideas cannot be contained in a tale. Symbolisms, either realistic or abstract, are open to innumerable interpretations and in this they are unlike specific signs.

The symbolism of the Taj Mahal structure says a million things about the concept of love. Not all ideas can be captured by words. Symbolisms are therefore highly potent and capable of transmitting ideas. The story of Arjuna and Navagunjara from the Mahabharata is one such account which relies heavily on symbolisms.

Navagunjara has the head of a rooster, and stands on three feet, those of an elephant, tiger and deer or horse, the fourth limb is a raised human arm carrying a lotus or a wheel. The beast has the head of a rooster, neck of a peacock, the back or hump of a bull in the shape of a Linga, the waist of a lion, feet of an elephant, a human, a deer and a tiger and the tail is a serpent.

During Arjuna’s stay and penance in the Khandava forests, Navagunjara shows up. He was first terrified. Then the strange features of this creature mesmerized him. He then raises his bow to shoot it. Within those moments, he was fascinated by his own inability to explain the creature’s existence. He could not comprehend the creature for its being and his meeting the creature.

Whichever way he tried to rationalise its existence, Arjuna found the creature beyond all known definitions. Thus it stood before him as if it challenged conventional classification. It also seemed to emerge from beyond the limits of human comprehension. Finally, Arjuna realizes that Navagunjara is a manifestation of Mahavishnu and drops his weapons, bowing before Navagunjara. Pictorials depict this as Arjuna saluting Navagunjara.

There could be various interpretations of this event. It is believed that Vishnu appeared as Navagunjara to impart a very important lesson to Arjuna. He seems to have no idea at all of ‘kathamba uurukkai’, mixed pickled body of the creature. After all Arjuna was a jnani but his mind spins off in confusion. The lesson behind this is the limitation of the human mind. The universe is boundless and innumerable manifestations of energy cannot be expressed or comprehended by the human mind.

There is the proposition that Navagunjara is the sum total of Mahavishnu’s incarnations. In the Bhagavad Gita, part of the epic Mahabharata, there is a point in the discourse between Arjuna and Krishna wherein Arjuna asks the Lord for a vision of his true form. Krishna grants this vision, both glorious and terrifying, in which Arjuna sees the entire universe inside Krishna. This great form of Krishna is called virat-rupa , omnipresent or vast form. Navagunjara is also considered as a variant of Krishna’s virat-rupa.

The different animals and the fusion of the Rooster, Peacock, Bull, Tiger, Lion, Snake, Elephant and Horse represents a spectre of man and animals in perfect harmony. The human hand could represent Mahavishnu or Krishna’s hand. Shakti is well portrayed with the Kundalini serpend, anklets and magnanimous bracelet. Sometimes Navagunjara is depicted with its right fore-leg as the raised hand of a woman holding a Lotus. The overall emphasises is that, we are connected and form a part of a larger living organism.

Arjuna’s raising of the bow in haste symbolizes human reaction in situations which have no precedence. A particular situation could first make no sense and send alarming signals until buddhi is engaged. It is the human intellect that allows different gazes and seeking of the familiar within the unfamiliar, then the whole world of possibilities opens up.

Navagunjara is found sculptured on Lord Jagannath Puri Temple walls. It is also a subject matter of Orissa art.

Hara Hara Mahadeva
(draft Hindu Symbolisms)

I love Dogs.. Dogs are God spelled backwards.. Dogs in the Hindu Way of Life..

2/1/2013

DOGS IN THE HINDU WAY OF LIFE:

Dogs have always been man's faithful friend, loyal and loving. One is often reminded of the ‘His Master’s Voice’ story which pictorial shows a dog looking into the sound-drum of a gramophone. Vedic Indian dogs were taken to be auspicious symbols. Deities assumed dog form and symbolised security, glory and fidelity of warriors. It is believed that dogs guard the doors of Heaven and Hell. In the Tihar festival, the guard dog is worshiped with tika being applied and the dog garlanded with marigold flower. They were a sign of fidelity and devotion.

Even in the Greek system there is a three-headed dog that keeps vigilance at the gates between heaven and hell. He is called Hydra, which is significant in this context. The dog is the symbol of vigilance, depending upon the quality of utterances that one makes he would either open the gates into heaven or into hell. It is for this reason, prayers are recommended to be uttered loudly by the aspirant in its 3 levels and listen to the import of the sound uttered forth. The import of sound in prayer, is God, while the 3 levels of the physical sound represent the three-headed dog.

SARAMA:

She is the female dog of the Gods and also the mother of all dogs. The Bhagavata Purana regards Sarama as the mother of all beasts of prey. But in this Purana, Sarama is a reference to a daughter of Daksha and not a bitch. Sarama derives her name by being a quick runner. As Supadi, she ‘has good feet’ and as Subhaga, she is the ‘fortunate one’. Deva-shuni means ‘divine bitch’. The offspring of Sarama is called Sarameya. In the four eyed form, the metronymic Sarameya accompanies Lord Yama. In the tenth Mandala of the Rig Veda, Shyama and Sabala are described as Sarama’s daughters. They are messengers of Yama, Lord of the Law. They are guardians to the path of heaven, protecting man on their path. But the Griya Sutra decribes Shyama and Sabala as sons of Sarama and Sisara as their father.

RIG VEDA:

According to the Rig Veda, the bitch, Devashuni assists Lord Indra to recover divine cows stolen by demons called Panis. The loot is hidden in a cave. Sarama pursues the track of the thieves and recovers it by the path of truth. ‘She, the bitch of Indra, undertook a perilous, pioneering journey to the Panis....Both sun and moon are dogs of heaven and sons of Sarama.’ The Panis try to convince Sarama that they could share the loot but she refuses: RV 10.108.2 As such credit is given to Sarama for having recovered the milk of the cattle which symbolises nourishment for humanity. In the third Mandala of the Rig Veda, sage Vishwamitra described Sarama as ‘knowing’ to suggest her intuitive powers.

The Jaiminita Brahmana adds more details to the story. The cows belong to Angiras or Brihaspati. The Panis dwell in Vala, a stone cave. There they fail to lure Sarama to their side. So Sarama makes a deal with Lord Indra that her children will be fed.

Taittiriya Brahmana: Sarama is the goddess in guise of a dog. She was deputed by Lord Indra to roam the mortal world and she witnesses starving. She Sarama created water to sustain food and irrigated the fields. She also found the divine cows and they provide milk to mankind.

SARAMA SYMBOLISM:

Sarama is considered to be the power of Light and probably Dawn as she is ‘the traveller and the seeker who does not herself posses the Truth but rather finds what is lost. Thus she symbolises the Ushas. Kidnapping of the cows represents the disappearance of the bright cows or rays of the Sun. Sarama, the Dawn, finds them. She is then followed by Indra, the God of Light.

VASTOSPATI:

In Rigveda 7.55.2, mythology of heavenly dogs, Sarama’s role is different from the sun and the moon, the other sons of Sarama. He is the guardian of the house of Varuna and his name is Vastospati. He is Rudra. The Gods had created Vastospati, the guardian of sacred ordinance, vratapa, out of their poem, the Raudra Brahman. In ths sky, Vastospati assumes the shape of the dog of heaven.

LORD RUDRA:

He is the star of the stars in the sky, Sirius, the most exalted of all the stars. In the morning dawn, before sunrise, Sirius is the fire-colored boar of heaven and at night he is the silver golden watchdog of the sky: Rigveda 1.114.4. In his most ancient figure, he was the Dog Star, the hound of heaven, gnashing his formidably bright teeth. When the sun of equinox rose in Rohini, he was the star Mrgavyadha, the archer, the hunter of the antelope shooting forth arrows of rays. The dog or hound of heaven is Vastospati, the Guardian of the Dwelling. These figures of the antelope and the hound were not envisioned simultaneously. Rudra’s has more than one form and name and only one of them was seen or thought of at a time.

LORD BHAIRAVA.

Rudra, Bhairava and Virabhadra are the fierce manifestations of Lord Shiva. Rudra is described as Shvapati meaning ‘master of the dog.’ The dog ‘Shvan’ is Bhairava’s divine vahana. ‘Vahana’ means vehicle or transporter.Bhairava means "Terrible" or "Frightful". He is also known by other names: Bhairo or Bhairon or Bhairadya or Bheruji. In Tamil Nadu or the Tamil speaking population He is known as Kaala Bhairavar or Vairavar. Bhairava is the fierce manifestation of Lord Shiva and His annihilation attributes. In some tradition, Vairavar is portrayed as a Shvan and venerated independently. In the rural setting Shvan also accompanies, Muniandy, Munisvarar, Sudalaiman etc.

BHISHMAKA:

He is the King of Vidarbha and the father of Rukmani, Krishna’s wife. In his previous birth, he is said to be a temple priest dedicated to Shiva Padha Puja ot worshiping the Lord’s feet. Usually the prasada, after being offered to the Lord and closure of the puja is served to a dog that waits outside temple premises. The dog then accompanies the priest home and keeps guard along the way. This dog only ate temple prasada. The priest had great affection towards the dog as well. One dark night, by mistake, the priest accidentally walked over the dogs face. In its nature, the dog instantaneously bit the priest before it could realise that the person it bit was the priest whom the dog admired.

The dog regretted its action and thereafter did not accept the food. After some time it died in front of the same Shiva temple. The gods, seeing this great gesture of loyalty from the dog, awarded the post of the Suryan or Sun with the name Vivasawan. The priest had also died in memory of the dog. In reverence to his Shiva Padha puja, in his next life, this Brahmin priest took birth as a King of Vidarbha. He was called Bhishmaka.

MAHABHARATA ADI PARVA:

Janamejaya conducts a yagna and his brothers beat up a dog which comes near the sacrificial site. The crying dog complains to its mother Sarmana. Sarama curses Janamejaya that since its son was harmed for no reason, unseen danger will befall him. A forewarned Janamejaya, finds a priest by the name of Somashravas to free him from the curse.

SABHA PARVA:

Sarama stands to be listed as one of the many goddess that worship Lord Brahma. Thus they become members of Brahma’s court.

VANA PARVA:

Sarama is listed as Matrika or Mothers. She is also named as Manushaya grahas or evil spirits which are authorised by the war-god Skanda to devour or snatch human foetuses from wombs.

SVARGAROHANA PARVA:

Thirty-six years after the Krukshetra war, out of gratitude Yudhishthira makes Yuyutsu king of his old territory Indraprastha. He arrives at the entrance to paradise, carrying a dog in his arms. His brothers and Draupadi, who left the earth with him, have fallen from the mountains into the abyss along the way. A gatekeeper tells him to abandon the dog if he wants to enter paradise. He refuses to leave a creature so faithful, and is permitted to enter, for this was a test, the dog was the god Dharma in disguise. Yudhisthir tells Lord Indra,“This dog, O Lord, is highly devoted to me. He should go with me. My heart is full of compassion for him''

In paradise, further surprises await him. His enemies, above all Duryodhana and Karna are there, smiling and contented. The Pandu sons and Draupadi, on the other hand, seem to be in a place of suffering and torment. Why? Yudhishthira decides to stay with his loved ones in hell, rather than enjoy the delights of heaven with his enemies. This is the ‘final illusion’ is a tests after which they are all permitted to enter paradise. When Yudhistir entered heaven, his dog transformed itself to Yama.

In Hindu thoughts, neither svarga or naraka are eternal, but only intervals between rebirths. Everyone spends some time in hell to pay for the sins of the most recent life. One who lives a spiritual life and good karmic deeds according to scriptural injunctions, spends prolonged enjoyement in heavenly planets. In other words, Yudhishthira had to experience hell for only a moment, because of his lie to Drona that his son had died. Heaven is obtained by good deeds, but only for a limited time until the accumulated merit runs out.

LORD DATTATREYA:

He is associated with four dogs. This would be posted separately.

Hara Hara Mahadeva.
(draft Animals in the Hindu way of Life)

by Yogi Ananada Saraswathi

DOG SYMBOLISM IN THE HINDU WAY OF LIFE:

In mythology, four dogs symbolically represent the Vedas. Adi Shankara and his disciples had taken a bath in the Ganga river and proceeded to the Kasi Vishvanaath temple. A Chandala with his wife and Four Dogs blocked the narrow path. Neither the chandala nor the four dogs were recognised. So, Shankara said "Gachchha, Gachchha," move away, move away. At this Chaandaal asked him - "By asking to move away, do you want the body which is made of food to move away from another body which is also made up of food? Or do you want consciousness to move away from consciousness?" Adi Shankara answered the Chandala in five verses called as Maneesha Panchakam. ‘Maneesh’ means conviction a Panchakam means five verses.

Notwithstanding, the acharya says that he would accept a person as his Guru if he possess highest wisdom irrespective of the fact that the person is a chandala or a Brahmin. In the second verse, correct knowledge becomes the qualification even if he is a chandala. In the remaining slokhas, true knowledge is addressed. However, the acharya had no direct answer if a chandal would have access to Vedantic knowledge.

MAHA VAAKYAS:

Adi Sankaracharya captures the essence of the Mahaa Vaakyas of all the four Vedas: Aitareya Upanishad -Rig Veda, Pragyaanaam Brahma - Consciousness is Brahman ; Brihadaaranyak Upanishad - Yajur Veda, Aham Brahmasmi - I am Brahman; Chhaandogya Upanishad - Saama Veda, Tat Twam Asi - You are that; Maandookya Upanishad - Atharv Veda, Ayam Aatma Brahman - This Self is Brahman.

UNTOUCHABILITY:

There is no sanction of the institution of untouchability in the Shastras. The acharya was aware of this as he wrote commentaries on the Eashopanishad. Denouncement of the practice is seen in Verse 7: “If one sees in Atma in all creations and in all creations the Atma, then one need not feel greatly disgusted.” Verse 8: “When one realizes that all creations are just manifestations of Atma why one should feel attachments and pains? He sees unity in all creations.” Similar sentiments are expressed in his commentary on Gita 6.29 in the Shankara Bhasyam,. However Shankara does not address untouchability when he answered the Chandala. As such it is said that the acharya missed a golden opportunity to do away with untouchability.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:

Question 1: By asking to move away, do you want the body which is made of food to move away from another body which is also made up of food? Question 2 - Do you want consciousness to move away from consciousness?

Is there is any difference between the reflections of the Sun seen in the Gangaa waters and the water of a gutter in the house of an outcaste? Is there any difference between the space in a gold pot and in a mud pot? What is the illusion of difference in the form? That this is Brahman and this is outcaste? Adi Shankara answers in verse form.

Verse-1

If a person has attained firm knowledge that he is not an object of perception, but is that pure consciousness which shine clearly in the states of waking, dream and deep sleep; an which dwells in all bodies of the Universe, from that of Creator Brahmaa to an ant, as a witness; then he is my Guru - this is my conviction.

Verse-2

I am Brahm (pure consciousness). it is the pure consciousness which appears as this Universe. All this is only something conjured up by me because of A-Vidyaa (nescience) which is composed of the three Gun (Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas). One who has attained this definite realization about Brahm which is bliss itself, eternal, supreme and pure, is my Guru, whether he is an outcaste or a Braahman - this is my conviction.

Verse 3

Having come to the definite conclusion, under the instructions of his Guru, that the entire Universe is always perishable, he who, with a calm and pure mind constantly meditates on Brahm and who has burnt his past and future sins in the fire of knowledge, submits his present body to the operation of his Praarabdh Karm - this is my conviction.

Verse 4

The Self or Pure Consciousness is experienced clearly within by animals, men and gods as „I‟. It is by the reflection of this pure consciousness that the mind, senses and body which are all insentient appear to be sentient. External objects are perceived only because of this consciousness. This Self is however, concealed by the very mind, senses and body which are illumined by it, just as the sun is concealed by clouds. The yogi who with a calm mind always meditates on this Self is my Guru - this is my conviction.

Verse 5

The Self, which is Brahm, is the eternal ocean of supreme bliss. A minute fraction of that bliss is enough to satisfy Indra and other Gods. By meditating on the Self with a perfectly calm mind the sage experiences fulfillment. The person whose mind has become identified with this Self is not a mere knower of Brahm, but Brahm himself. Such a person, whoever he may be, is one whose feet are fit to be worshipped by Indra himself - this is my definite conviction.

SHIVA PARVATI: After hearing the above replies Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati who were in the disguise of the Chandala couple accompanied by the Vedas, manifested their real form to bless him. They and the four dogs, the Vedas then disappeared miraculously.

Hara Hara Mahadeva.
(draft Vedanta. Cf Dogs in the Hindu way of Life)
by Yogi Ananda Saraswathi

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