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.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
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.
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.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Aashoucha to be observed at the demise of a relative
The relatives on the father's side are classified into two groups, Sapindas and Samanodakas.
Sapindas - Seven generations including one's own, ie:- father, paternal grandfather, paternal great grandfather, son, grandson ( son's son), great grandsons (son's son's son).
Samanodakas - three generations above and below the above.
Sapindas - 10 days
Samanodakas ( upanayana done ) - 3 days
For the male
Maternal grandfather - 3 days
Maternal grandmother - 3 days
Mother's brother - 3 days
Mother's brother's wife - 3 days
Father-in-law - - 3 days
Mother-in-law - 3 days
Mother's sister - 3 days
Father's sister - 3 days
Sister's son ( upanayana done ) - 3 days
Daughter's son ( upanayana done ) - 3 days
Daughter ( married ) - 3 days
Sister ( married) - 3 days
Son given away in adoption - 3 days
Biological father or mother ( in case of adoption) - 3 days
Daughter of a sapinda above 7 years and before marriage - 3 days
Son of a sapinda above two and a half years and below 6 years - 3 days.
Son of a sapinda or samanodaka above seven years - 3 days
Son or daughter of father's sister - one and a half days
Son or daughter of mother's brother - one and a half days
Son or daughter of mother's sister - - one and a half days
Sister's daughter - one and a half days
Brother's daughter (married) - - one and a half days
Father's brother's daughter - one and a half days
Son's daughter - - one and a half days
Daughter's daughter - one and a half days
Daughter's son ( upanayana not done) - one and a half days
Sister's son (upanayana not done ) - one and a half days
Brother, sister or daughter of step mother (Sapatnee mata ) - one day
Son or daughter of the above three - one day
Wife's brother - one day
Mother's sister's daughter - one day
Father or mother of step mother - - one day
Daughter of sapinda or samanodaka between 2 and 6 years - one day
Brother from the previous gotra ( in case of adoption) - one day
In - laws if wife and son are not there - one day
Son of a sapinda or samanodaka from 6 months to 2 years - one day
Observed by the wife alone
Wife has to observe all ashoucha obseved by the husband. The following are to be observed by the wife alone.
Father or mother - 3 days
Brother ( upanayana done ) - 3 days
Brother's son ( upanayana done ) - 3 days
Sister's son ( upanayana done ) - 3 days
Step mother - 3 days
Father's brother - One and a half days
Mother's sister - One and a half days
Mother's brother - One and a half days
Father's sister - One and a half days
Daughter's of the above four - One and a half days
Father's father - - One and a half days
Father's mother - - One and a half days
Mother's father - One and a half days
Mother's mother - One and a half days
Sister - One and a half days
Sister's daughter - One and a half days
Step mother's Son, daughter, brother or sister - 1 day
Son of the above four ( upanayana done) or daughter ( unmarried) - 1 day
Step mother's father or mother - 1 day
This is as followed by Tamil smarta brahmins. For other communities it may differ.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Nikshubhark vrata
This is a vrata that can be observed by ladies desirous of a child and mutual affection between the husband and wife. This can be observed on Shashti, Saptami, Sankranti or Sunday for a period of one year. Fasting and abstinence form all modes of enjoyment should be observed throughout the day. Should visit a Surya temple (Navagraha) and make offerings and pray to both Surya and his wife Devi Nikshubha. On the last day of the vrata, formal worship of the Lord and Devi ( with pratimas made of copper, silver or gold and shodashopachara) together with brahmana bhojanam and Dampati Pujanam representing Surya and Nikshubha devi should be done.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Surya's two wives
Surya had two wives. The first one, Samjna - the daughter of Visvakarma. Surya had three children in her - Manu, Yama and Yami. She found Surya's heat unbearable and left him after creating an exact replica of herself called Chhaya. Surya didn't know this. He had another three children in Chhaya - Sani, Savarnamanu and Tapati. Chhaya showed bias towards her own children. Yama, angry with this raised his legs to kick her. Chhaya cursed Yama that his legs would fall off. Yama went to his father and complained who modified the curse that only some portion of the flesh from his legs would fall off. Surya confronted Chhaya who confessed that she was not the original. Surya sent Chhaya away and brought back Samjna.
from U.G.Krishnamurthy who said "Tell them that there is nothing to understand."
Hearing that Jiddu Krishnamurti was giving a talk in Saanen, U.G. decided to attend. During the talk, Jiddu was describing his own state and U.G. thought that it referred to him (U.G.). He explained it as follows:
ref : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U._G._Krishnamurti
When I Iistened to him, something funny happened to me – a peculiar kind of feeling that he was describing my state and not his state. Why did I want to know his state? He was describing something, some movements, some awareness, some silence – "In that silence there is no mind; there is action" – all kinds of things. So, I am in that state. What the hell have I been doing these thirty or forty years, listening to all these people and struggling, wanting to understand his state or the state of somebody else, Buddha or Jesus? I am in that state. Now I am in that state. So, then I walked out of the tent and never looked back.He continues:
Then – very strange – that question "What is that state?" transformed itself into another question "How do I know that I am in that state, the state of Buddha, the state I very much wanted and demanded from everybody? I am in that state, but how do I know?"[10]
[edit] Calamity
The next day U.G. was again pondering the question "How do I know I am in that state?" with no answer forthcoming. He later recounted that on suddenly realizing the question had no answer, there was an unexpected physical, as well as psychological, reaction. It seemed to him like "a sudden explosion inside, blasting, as it were, every cell, every nerve and every gland in my body." Afterwards, he started experiencing what he called "the calamity", a series of bizarre physiological transformations that took place over the course of a week, affecting each one of his senses, and finally resulting in a deathlike experience. He described it this way:I call it calamity because from the point of view of one who thinks this is something fantastic, blissful and full of beatitude, love, or ecstasy, this is physical torture; this is a calamity from that point of view. Not a calamity to me but a calamity to those who have an image that something marvelous is going to happen.[10]Upon the eighth day:
Then, on the eighth day I was sitting on the sofa and suddenly there was an outburst of tremendous energy – tremendous energy shaking the whole body, and along with the body, the sofa, the chalet and the whole universe, as it were – shaking, vibrating. You can't create that movement at all. It was sudden. Whether it was coming from outside or inside, from below or above, I don't know – I couldn't locate the spot; it was all over. It lasted for hours and hours. I couldn't bear it but there was nothing I could do to stop it; there was a total helplessness. This went on and on, day after day, day after day.[10]
The energy that is operating there does not feel the limitations of the body; it is not interested; it has its own momentum. It is a very painful thing. It is not that ecstatic, blissful beatitude and all that rubbish – stuff and nonsense! – it is really a painful thing.[10]U.G. could not, and did not, explain the provenance of the calamity experiences. In response to questions, he maintained that it happened "in spite of" his pre-occupation with – and search for – enlightenment. He also maintained that the calamity had nothing to do with his life up to that point, or with his upbringing. Several times he described the calamity happening to him as a matter of chance, and he insisted that he could not possibly, in any way, impart that experience to anybody else.[10][14]
ref : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U._G._Krishnamurti
Saturday, February 4, 2012
The twelve forms of Surya
Indra - stays in devaloka and destroys daityas and danavas
Dhata - stays in Brahma and causes creation
Parjanya - stays in sunrays and causes rain
Pusha - stays in mantra for the welfare of beings
Tvashta - stays in plants and herbs
Aryama - stays in dwelling places and protects
Bhaga - stays on earth and mountains
Vivasvan - stays in Agni and digests food
Amshu - stays in the moon and supports the worlds
Vishnu - takes avatar to destroy evil
Varuna - stays in ocean and gives life
Mitra - stays on the banks of Chandrabhaga river
Dhata - stays in Brahma and causes creation
Parjanya - stays in sunrays and causes rain
Pusha - stays in mantra for the welfare of beings
Tvashta - stays in plants and herbs
Aryama - stays in dwelling places and protects
Bhaga - stays on earth and mountains
Vivasvan - stays in Agni and digests food
Amshu - stays in the moon and supports the worlds
Vishnu - takes avatar to destroy evil
Varuna - stays in ocean and gives life
Mitra - stays on the banks of Chandrabhaga river
Friday, February 3, 2012
Throughout the history of science "the hardest thing to define is mechanism." All sorts of workable scientific principles and techniques and many kinds of medicines are employed routinely throughout the world without there being any understanding of how they work.
- Dr. Jacob Zighelboim, M.D., Associate Professor at the UCLA School of Medicine
AND THEY WANT TO SCIENTIFICALLY PROVE THAT ASTROLOGY WORKS OR DOESN'T WORK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He's a fool who wants a proof of what he can't perceive; And he's a blockhead who tries to make such a one believe.
- William Blake
- Dr. Jacob Zighelboim, M.D., Associate Professor at the UCLA School of Medicine
AND THEY WANT TO SCIENTIFICALLY PROVE THAT ASTROLOGY WORKS OR DOESN'T WORK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He's a fool who wants a proof of what he can't perceive; And he's a blockhead who tries to make such a one believe.
- William Blake
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Sarvatobhadramandala puja
If anyone is interested in conducting a puja for general welfare, then this is a good choice. An intricate mandalam is first made, then almost all deities are invoked in it.
The deities are - Brahma, Soma, Ishana, Indra, Agni, Yama, Nirruti, Varuna, Vayu, Ashtavasus, Ekadasha rudras, Dvadasha adityas, Ashvins, Pitrus with Vishvedevas, seven yakshas, Bhootanagas, Gandharvas, Apsaras, Skanda, Nandi, Shoola, Mahakala, Dakshadi seven, Durga, Vishnu, Svadha, Svaha, Mrutyu and roga, Ganapathy, Apah, Maruts, Prithivi, holy rivers, seven seas, Meru, weapons of the dikpalas, Saptarshis, Arundhati, Indrani, Koumary, Brahi, Varahi, Chamundi, Vaishnavi, Mahesvari and Vainayaki .
The deities are worshiped with Shodashopachara and ahutis are also offered in havan.
The deities are - Brahma, Soma, Ishana, Indra, Agni, Yama, Nirruti, Varuna, Vayu, Ashtavasus, Ekadasha rudras, Dvadasha adityas, Ashvins, Pitrus with Vishvedevas, seven yakshas, Bhootanagas, Gandharvas, Apsaras, Skanda, Nandi, Shoola, Mahakala, Dakshadi seven, Durga, Vishnu, Svadha, Svaha, Mrutyu and roga, Ganapathy, Apah, Maruts, Prithivi, holy rivers, seven seas, Meru, weapons of the dikpalas, Saptarshis, Arundhati, Indrani, Koumary, Brahi, Varahi, Chamundi, Vaishnavi, Mahesvari and Vainayaki .
The deities are worshiped with Shodashopachara and ahutis are also offered in havan.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Wife on the left or right ?
sarveshu dharmakaryeshu patnee dakshinato shubhaa
In all dharmic rituals the wife should sit on the right hand side of the husband.
aasheervaadebhisheke cha paadaprakshalane tatha shayane bhojane chaiva patnee uttarato bhavet
While receiving ashirvada ( blessings from brahmins ), while abhisheka is being performed ( also prokshana), while washing the feet of brahmins, while sleeping and also while having food , the wife should be on the left.
In all dharmic rituals the wife should sit on the right hand side of the husband.
aasheervaadebhisheke cha paadaprakshalane tatha shayane bhojane chaiva patnee uttarato bhavet
While receiving ashirvada ( blessings from brahmins ), while abhisheka is being performed ( also prokshana), while washing the feet of brahmins, while sleeping and also while having food , the wife should be on the left.