Friday, March 30, 2012

Three types of Daanam and importance of faith

Bhagavadgita 17.20 onwards

Satvik - Daanam given to the proper person at proper place and time without expecting any favor back from him.

proper place  holy place
proper time - auspicious time
proper person - one who is versed in vedas

Rajasik - Daanam given expecting something in return even for fame and given with reluctance.

Tamasik - Daanam given to undeserving at improper place and improper time in an improper manner.

Bhagavdgita 17.28 - Whatever if offered in yajna or in Daanam without faith or whatever austerity is udertaken without faith, will not yield any result - neither here nor after death.

The Gods' share

Bhagavadgita chapter 3 says

In the days of the yore, having created the beings together with yajna, brahma said - By this (yajna) you multiply, let this be your yielder of coveted objects of desire."

"You nourish the Gods with this (yajna), let those Gods nourish you (with their blessings). Nourishing one another you shall attain the supreme good."

"Being nourished by yajnas, the Gods will give you the coveted enjoyments, He is certainly a thief who enjoys what have been given by the Gods without offering to them."

This is the concept of Devabhagam ( share of the Gods). For anything that we receive, even the day to day requirements such as food and water, a share belongs to the Gods, which should be given back  to them on an ongoing basis. This is what is meant by mutual nourishment. It is a law of nature. When man fails to do this he accumulates bad karma in the form of Devaruna ( or debt to the Gods ) which will eventually lead into problems.

It is similar to tax paid to the government. The Government can protect you only when the citizens promptly pay up taxes so that the machinery such as police and army can be run. With the tax received the Government develops infrastructure which paves way for progress.

When you evade tax, the taxman is going to come knocking on your door some day and he is going to be really tough then.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Enlightenment through indulgence !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Through those prime time discourses and lopsided interpretation of the scriptures by the renunciates (?) we are made to believe that the only way to attain enlightenment is through detachment and relinquishing sensory pleasures. See couple of methods given by 'Vijnana Bhairava' for spiritual enlightenment.

Sloka 72. At the time of euphoria and expansion caused by delicate food and drinks, be total in this delight and through this taste supreme bliss.

Sloka 73. Merge in the joy felt at the time of pleasure from music or pleasure from other senses. If you immerse in this joy, you reach the divine.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Division of dakshina

Any elaborate vedic ritual is a team work. There are four levels of activities based on their importance.

The main priests should get 48% of the total dakshina. The next level 24%, the third level 16% and the fourth level 12%.

source : Manusmrithi.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

The noblest among the four ashramas

Among the four ashramas, brahmacharya, garhastya, vanaprastha and sanyasa, which is the noblest ? Skanda puranam says, grihasthashrama that of the householder because the other three are dependent on the householder. Even the devas, pitrus and animals etc. are dependent on what is provided by the householder.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Avataras of Lord Ganesha

1. Aditi, mother of all devas, after giving birth to the devas had desire to have the Sarveshvara as her son. She expressed this to her husband Kashyapa who gave her the Ganesha Panchakshari mantra. She performed tapas and Ganesha appeared before her with 10 hands and his consorts Siddhi and Buddhi. Unable to bear his brilliance Aditi fainted. When she woke up, she prayed to the Lord to assume the form of a child and be her son. Ganesha was named Mahotkata in this avatara and later on destroyed demonesses like Viraja, Jrimbha and demons like Nishachara. He also saved Kashi from peril.

2. To destroy the demon Duradasa, upon being prayed by Devas and Rishis he took avatar from the expiration of Devi Parvathi and he is called Vakratunda.

3. A clay idol worshiped by Parvathy assumes life and and in this avatara he destroys demons like Gridhrasura, Balasura and Vyomasura.

4. In Dvaparayuga, Parvathy actually conceives  Ganesha from  Lord Shiva and after nine months of pregnancy delivers him.