Saturday, April 18, 2015

Glimpse of India


THE KUNDALINI CONSORTIUM


SAIVISM CULT


THE GAATRI MANTRA


Traditionally, the Gayatri mantra is recited or chanted 108 times on three occasions daily – at sunrise, at midday and at dusk, when the sun is setting.

It can be repeated in totals of 108, 1,008, 10,008, etc.

When we repeat the Gayatri mantra three times over the day, we are basically affirming the concept of the trinity of life – birth, growth, death.

japa mala (prayer beads), having 108 beads, is often used during the chanting of the mantra.

For centuries, the number 108 has had relevance in Hinduism, Buddhism and in yoga and dharma related spiritual practices.  Countless explanations have been given to provide significance to the number 108.  Here are a few:

The ancient Indians were excellent mathematicians and 108 may be the product of a precise mathematical operation (e.g. 1 power 1 x 2 power 2 x 3 power 3 = 108) which was thought to have special numerological significance.

There are 54 letters in the Sanskrit alphabet. Each has masculine and feminine, Shiva and Shakti. 54 times 2 is 108.

On the Sri Yantra, there are marmas (intersections) where three lines intersect, and there are 54 such intersections. Each intersections has masculine and feminine, shiva and shakti qualities. 54 x 2 equals 108. Thus, there are 108 points that define the Sri Yantra as well as the human body.

9 times 12 is 108. Both of these numbers have been said to have spiritual significance in many ancient traditions.

The chakras, our energy centers, are the intersections of energy lines, and there are said to be a total of 108 energy lines converging to form the heart chakra. One of them, Sushumna, leads to the crown chakra, and is said to be the path to Self-realization.

In vedic astrology there are 12 constellations, and 9 arc segments called namshas or chandrakalas. 9 times 12 equals 108. Chandra is moon, and kalas are the divisions within a whole.

In 108, 1 stands for God or higher Truth, 0 stands for emptiness or completeness in spiritual practice, and 8 stands for infinity or eternity.

It is said that Atman, the human soul or center goes through 108 stages on its journey.

There are 108 forms of dance in the Indian tradition of Bharatanatyam.

There are 108 Upanishads according to the Muktikopanishad.




Friday, April 17, 2015

THE TRINITY IN HINDUISM

Saguna Brahman — that is, Brahman with attributes — generally takes the form of one ofTrimurti (three main Hindu deities): BrahmāVishnu, or Shiva (Maheshwara). These personified forms of Brahman correspond to three stages in the cycle of the universe.
  • Brahmā corresponds to the creative spirit from which the universe arises.
  • Vishnu corresponds to the force of order that sustains the universe.
  • Shiva corresponds to the force that brings a cycle to an end — destruction acting as a prelude to transformation, leaving pure consciousness from which the universe is reborn after destruction.
Other forms of Ishvara widely worshiped by Hindus areShakti, the female aspect of divinity, and Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity associated with the removal of obstacles.
Brahman also may choose to take birth in a knowable form, or avatara (incarnation), to uphold dharma and restore balance to the world. Krishna, a well-knownavatara of Vishnu, appears at times to save the world.Rāma, another well-known avatara of Vishnu, is the subject of the Hindu epic Rāmāyana (Way of Rāma).
The majority of Hindus choose a personal deity, a saguna form of Brahman with whom they can feel a direct personal connection. Devotion to this deity can take a number of forms, including prayer, ceremonial worship, chanting of the deity’s name, and pilgrimage to sites sacred to the deity.

NEW REFORMS IN THE INDIAN HISTORY

This is a fictional piece for a section in India Today magazine, which had fictional articles written, datelined in the future, on various topics.
In a startling development Mahesh Keshavam, Gangadhar Yadav and Akbar Patel have announced that they've deciphered the Indus Valley script. Their task was made simple by the discovery of an Indian equivalent of the Rosetta Stone. For those who don't know, the Rosetta Stone, an ancient Pharaonic-Egypt decree discovered in the 18th century, helped decipher the ancient Egyptian script.
The Indian equivalent of the Rosetta Stone, called the Naga Stone by the trio who discovered it, has a message from a king who lived many millennia ago, inscribed in three different scripts. One of these is the ancient Brahmi script, which as we all know, has been deciphered already.
"We discovered the Naga Stone in Nagaland, and hence the name," explained Mahesh. "It appears to be a message from a local ruler, prescribing that a certain festival celebration be followed strictly. It has the same message in three different scripts, one of which is Brahmi, which we can read. Since the message is the same across the other scripts, it was a simple job of matching words to decipher the other scripts."
Interestingly, all three scripts including Brahmi can be identified as Indus Valley scripts since they contain symbols commonly found in Indus Valley seals. The Indus script (which is a hieroglyphic script, like that of Mandarin) has largely been found to be inscribed on small seals that were probably used for trade and, some say, for inspirational quotes as well.
Akbar said, "What we have discovered is that there was not one uniform Indus Valley script. There were many, each differing from the other quite a degree, even if some of the symbols were similar. In fact, one of the scripts is even written right to left!"
It is a common view among linguistic experts that there should be one standard Indus Valley script. It seemed logical as everything within the Indus Valley civilisation seemed to be rigidly standardised, from the dimensions of the bricks used in construction to the broad layouts for cities. It appears that the linguistic experts were wrong. Different regions did use different scripts. But was the language common?
"Yes, the language was common even though the scripts were different," said Mahesh. "And the language was Sanskrit." At the look of surprise on my face, Gangadhar stepped in. "You know," explained Gangadhar, "the practice of using the Devanagiri script for the Sanskrit language is a relatively recent phenomenon. In ancient times, many other scripts were used, including the Brahmi script. In fact, ancient manuscripts have been found in Kerala wherein Sanskrit had been written in the Malayalam script. So the idea of using different scripts for the same language is not new in India. Of course, originally, Sanskrit had no native script and was primarily an oral language."
But this obviously raises questions about the version of history taught to us. We are taught that the Indus Valley people were Dravidians who were indigenous Indians. They were, apparently, overrun by Sanskrit-speaking Aryan invaders and pushed to the south. So how can the script of a defeated people be used for the language of the victors?
"If you read the message on the Naga Stone itself," said Akbar, "your doubts will be cleared. There was no so-called Aryan invasion. Unbiased historians have always marvelled at this strange dichotomy in ancient Indian history-the Indus Valley civilisation, the largest, most urban and richest civilisation of its time, purportedly left behind no literature or markers of high culture; whereas the so-called Aryan invaders from Central Asia, who didn't build any great cities and were apparently barbaric warriors, left behind the largest body of literature when compared to any other people of the ancient world. The only logical explanation is that the Indus Valley civilisation and the Vedic-erroneously called Aryan-civilisation were one and the same."
"In India, the study of history is unfortunately heavily politicised, with left- and right-wing ideologues making arguments based on their ideological positions rather than facts," said Gangadhar. "They both, sadly, allow their ideological leanings to cloud their thinking. Therefore, today, we have to turn to Westerners or non-professional Indian historians who are still untouched by the politics that plagues our history departments, to find unbiased interpretations of our history which are based on facts. Most Western historians have already junked the Aryan Invasion Theory as colonial-era, European myth-making."
But the convincing proof is the Naga Stone itself. The message written on it is unambiguous. The local ruler of that time, Vasuki, said that the ancient Naga celebration of Panchami must be followed since it had come down to his people (whom he called Vedic people) from an ancient 10,000-year-old tradition from Sangam and Dwarka. Since the stone itself is at least 3,000 years old, it makes the 'mother cultures' of Sangam and Dwarka more than 13,000 years old, that is, before the end of the last great ice age.
But where were Sangam and Dwarka? "We believe that Sangam refers to an ancient Tamil civilisation and Dwarka to an ancient Gujarati one," said Akbar. "It would seem that the British writer, Graham Hancock, was right. He had postulated that there were many ancient civilisations spread across the world before the end of the last great ice age, when the sea levels were a lot lower. Two of those civilisations were based in India -one off the coast of modern Tamil Nadu and another off the coast of modern Gujarat. These civilisations were destroyed when the ice age ended and the sea levels rose. The survivors escaped to the north and established what we call the Vedic civilisation. So, according to Graham Hancock, the ancient Vedic civilisation descended from an even more ancient Tamil and Gujarati civilisation. The Naga Stone has just confirmed this theory." Clearly, our history books need some rewriting!
- Amish Tripathi is the author of The Shiva Trilogy.


Lord Siva


Shamanism; A brief history


Shamanism  is a practice that involves a practitioner reaching altered states of consciousness in order to encounter and interact with the spirit world and channel these transcendental energies into this world. A shaman is a person regarded as having access to, and influence in, the world of benevolent and malevolent spirits, who typically enters into a trance state during a ritual and practices divination and healing.
The word "shaman" probably originates from the Tungusic Evenki language of North Asia, specifically for the spirit-workers in these cultures. According to the noted Finnish ethnolinguist Juha Janhunen,"the word is attested in all of the Tungusic idioms" such as Negidal, Lamut, Udehe/Orochi, Nanai, Ilcha, Orok, Manchu and Ulcha, and "nothing seems to contradict the assumption that that the meaning 'shaman' also derives from Proto-Tunguisic" and may have roots that extend back in time at least two millennia.[3] The term was introduced to the west after Russian forces conquered the shamanistic Khanate of Kazan in 1552. The term "shamanism" was first applied by western anthropologists to the ancient religion of the Turks and Mongols, as well as those of the neighboring Tungusic and Samoyedic-speaking peoples. Upon learning more about religious traditions across the world, some anthropologists began to also use the term to describe unrelated magico-religious practices found within the ethnic religions of other parts of Asia, Africa, Australasia and the Americas, as they believed these practices to be similar to one another.

Mircea Eliad writes, "A first definition of this complex phenomenon, and perhaps the least hazardous, will be: shamanism, 'technique of religious ecstasy'.Shamanism encompasses the premise that shamans are intermediaries or messengers between the human world and the spirit worlds. Shamans are said to treat ailments/illness by mending the soul. Alleviating traumas affecting the soul/spirit restores the physical body of the individual to balance and wholeness. The shaman also enters supernatural realms or dimensions to obtain solutions to problems afflicting the community. Although there is very little references about he shamanism and its relation with naths or sidhas but the practices like these are common in almost all sects. So its not easy to separate the things with the yogic  kriyas because ultimately leading to the healings and self development.

Thursday, April 16, 2015

JALANDHARA NATH

About Jalandhar-nath it is known that he was Mahasiddha yogi and direct disciple of Śiva, some says he was Śiva himself (who entered into the dead body liying on cemetry). Also he is known in different traditions under different names as Jalandharipa, Haddipa, Haddipad, Hallipad, Jalandarpad and so on. Also he appearing in the both lineages of transmission, in the Shaiva Natha tradition of Hinduism, and in the Tantric Buddhist tradition of Tibet. With his name traditionally connected the practice of Jalandhara-bandha and the invention of Hevajra tantra, it is told that he was the author of few booksŚuddhivajra pradīp (the commentary on Hevajra Tantra), Hevajra-sadhana (the commentary on Hevajra Tantra). He was the great practitioner of the Tantric yoga and in the course of his practice he has acquired miraculous yogic powers, and control over life and death. In some versions of the story about the king Gopichand, he appears as demonstrating his fierce temperament.

 In accordance with Tibetan tradition he was born in the some village named Nagarbhog, in one Brahmins family. From yong age he was disappointed with world or samsara (the world of mundan existense). Once he was sitting on the shmashan and thinking about non-permanence of life. At that moment he was approached by one Dakini , who told him, that one must keep own mind pure and clean. She initiated him into the Great path of Yoga, by which liberation is achieved, and supernatural powers could be acquired. She called it “Hevajra tantra marg”. Under her guidance he became absorbed in the difficult sadhana. After seven ears of practice, he has reached desired perfection in his practices. He widely traveled in India for propagating yoga and dharma, and many places of the country are connected with his name. The most well known events of his life have happened when he reached the place where raja Manikchand was living.

Siddhas and foundation of Jainism


It is well versed fact that when siddha is mentioned the 84 siddhas and 9 nathas are remembered and it is this tradition of siddha which is known as the Siddha Sampradaya. Siddha is a term used for both mahasiddhas and nathas. So a siddha may mean a siddha, a mahasiddha or a natha. The three words siddha, mahasiddha and natha are used interchangeably. Siddhas may broadly refer to Siddhas, Naths, Ascetic, Sadhu, or Yogis and vice versa because they all practice the Sādhanā concept. In Jainism the didhas are regarded as the one with paranormal capabilities and who has attained liberation fron the sansara
Rishabha, also known as Adinatha, is the traditional founder of Jainism. He was the first of the twenty-four tirthankar or "ford-makers", teachers who established the Jain teachings. In Jainism, a Tīrthaṅkara is a person who has conquered samsara, the cycle of death and rebirth, and can provide a bridge for Jains to follow them from samsara tomoksha (liberation)
According to legends, he started the Ikshvaku dynasty of ancient Ayodhya. As Ikshvaku was another name of Tirthankara Rishabha. His son is the first chakravartin Bharata. Ri

shabha is also known as Rikhava and is sometimes called Rishabha of Kosala.There is mention of Rishabha in Hindu scriptures, including the Purana. The Bhagavata Purana states that The eighth incarnation was King Rishabha, son of King Nabhi and his wife Merudevi. In this incarnation the Lord showed the path of perfection, which is followed by those who have fully controlled their senses and who are honored by all orders of life.—Srimad Bhagavatam
Rishabha also finds mention in Buddhist literature. It speaks of several jaina tirthankara which includes Rishabha along with Padmaprabha, Chandraprabha, Pushpadanta, Vimalnatha, Dharmanatha and Neminatha. A Buddhist scripture named Dharmottarapradipa mentions Rishabha as an Apta (Tirthankara).
The Ādi purāṇa a 10th-century Kannada language text by the poet Adikavi Pampa (fl. 941 CE), written in Champu style, a mix of prose and verse and spread over sixteen cantos, deals with the ten lives of Rishabha and his two sons The life of Rishabha is also given in Mahapurana of JinasenaRishabha is usually depicted in lotus position  or kayotsarga, a standing posture of meditation. The distinguishing mark of Rishabha is his long locks of hair which fall on his shoulders and an image of a bull in his sculptures


VEDIC INDIA


Vedic Theory

SOUL , SELF and GOD



In Yoga we differentiate between

  • JĪVĀTMĀ – Soul

  • ĀTMĀ – Self

  • PARAMĀTMĀ - God
Jīvātmā is the individual, and Ātmā and Paramātmā are Universal.
  • PARAMĀTMĀ is the Supreme Principle, whatever we call it: God, Supreme Self, Divine Self, Love, Truth or Reality.
  • ĀTMĀ may be described as God’s ray of light, which exists as the “light of life” in every living being. It is part of PARAMĀTMĀ and is therefore identical in nature with it. Just as the seed of a tree contains all the qualities of the tree, the Ātmā also carries the qualities of the Supreme Self.
  • JĪVĀTMĀ, the individual soul, is the reflection of the Ātmā within an individual; a “wave” that emerges from the ocean of existence and wanders from embodiment to embodiment, and after a long process of development and experience again returns to the unity of the Ātmā. The soul that has manifested itself in a form, however, does not identify with its divine essence but rather with its attributes, the physical body, the mind, the thoughts, etc. The aim of the path of Yoga is to dispel this illusion.

What is the reason that the individual soul separates from God? The cause lies in the principle of Ahamkāra, the ego. Here ego means ‘the will to exist’; it is the aspiration for manifestation and self-expression in the sense of “I want to exist”. Ahamkāra is the seed from which the variety within nature comes into existence. The difference in form is relevant only to the external manifestation and to the expression of consciousness and intellect – the essence, however, is the same within all, Ātmā.
Just as the water in clouds only appears to be different to the water in the ocean, in the same way the individual only ‘appears’ to be different to God. In reality there is no division – it only exists externally, in the form and in the qualities. The individual follows the path set down by cosmic law, which has the same validity for all life forms. The aim and purpose of life is in the ongoing development and enlightenment of the consciousness, which achieves its ultimate expression in the conscious union of the individual soul (Jīvātmā) with the divine Self (Ātmā). The opening of the individual consciousness of the Jīvātma to the all-conscious-existence of the Ātma is called enlightenment or realisation.
Enlightenment means that there is no longer any corner of the consciousness remaining in darkness.
One cannot explain or describe the Ātmā. The closest comparison is with light or space. Space cannot be cut, burnt or otherwise destroyed. Space always remains space. One can divide space by fences or walls to create “individual” spheres that can be shaped or decorated differently, but as soon as the demarcations are removed the undivided, unified space again emerges.
Just as walls divide space, the body, mind, intellect, disposition, qualities and experiences assembled as the “person”, mark the boundaries of the Self for a while. The body dies, the person changes, but not the Ātmā. Our true Self is unborn, unchanging and immortal; it is the “king” around whom the cosmic forces gather in the royal household, and again disperse after he has left his palace (the body).
The philosophical schools of India, particularly Yoga philosophy, have examined the essential question regarding our existence - “Who am I?” - and given us an answer to this.
Examine yourself: Are you the body? The mind? Your qualities, thoughts or feelings? Or are you something else? As you continue to search more deeply you realise the more subtle aspects of your being, right up to the level of the elements. Then finally you recognise that you are not the Tattvas or Gunas either, and experience yourself as: 
  • SAT – truth
  • CHIT – consciousness
  • ĀNANDA – bliss
Sat-Chit-Ānanda is the essence of the divine Self that lives within you, the eternal, infinite and immutable Ātmā.
The only true reality within us is the Ātmā. Everything else is unreality. Ātmā is TRIKĀLADARSHI , the knower of past, present and future, and also CHAITANYA, the conscious witness of everything that happens.

www.chakras.net

KAPALIKA SADHNA in SIDHAS


The Kāpālika tradition was a non-Puranic,tantric  form of shaivism in India, whose members wrote the Bhairava Tantras, including the subdivision called the Kaula Tantras. These groups are generally known as Kāpālikas, the "skull-men," so called because, like the Lākula Pāsupata, they carried a skull-topped staff (khatvanga) and cranium begging bowl. Unlike the respectable Brahmin householder of the Shaiva

Siddhanta, the Kāpālika ascetic imitated his ferocious deity, and covered himself in the ashes from the cremation ground, and propitated his gods with the impure substances of blood, meat, alcohol, and sexual fluids from intercourse unconstrained by caste restrictions.[1] The Kāpālikas thus flaunted impurity rules and went against Vedic injunctions.[1] The aim was power through evoking deities, especially goddesses.
 Hindu kapalika ascetics have evolved into an extreme outcast sect of the 'left-hand' tantric path (Skt. vamamarg) of shakti or goddess worship. The early Buddhist tantric yogins and yoginis adopted the same goddess or dakini attributes of the kapalikas. These attributes consisted of; bone ornaments, an animal skin loincloth, marks of human ash, a skull-cup,damaru, flaying knife, thighbone trumpet, and the skull-topped tantric staff or khatvanga.While in the cases of Goraksh nath and his Guru Matseyndra nath it is obvious that they were the worshipers of Śiva, so is the case with Kāṇhapa and Jālandharipā.
Relation with Buddism
The great Siddha yogi Kanipa was one of most remarkable personalities amongst the Māhasiddhas of the Tantrik traditions of India and Tibet. In different stories he appearing under various names, as Kṛṣṇācārya, Kṛṣṇāpāda, Kānhupāda, Kānphā, Kaṇha-pa, Kāṇha, ācārya Caryāpa, Kaniphanāth, Kānarī-nāth?, Kānupā and more. It is seems as the established historical fact that he was the chief disciple of the Natha Siddha Jalandhar Nath, and live at the same period of time with the Guru Goraksh Nath, whom he have met few times. He appeared as the remarkable and powerful yogi in the Indian Śaiva tradition of the Nātha yogis and in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition of the Vajrayana Māhasiddhas. The both traditions agree that he was prominent Siddha yogi and at the same time paṇḍita (highly learned man), and had lot of disciples.

ref;
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kapalika
aghora

  

PRINCIPLES OF SANATANA DHARMA

Basic Principles

  • Sanatana Dharma recognizes that the greater portion of human religious aspiration has always been unknown, undefined, and outside of any institutionalized belief.
  • The universal flow of Dharma, regardless of what name you call it, whether Dharma or some other name, has eternally existed. It has been before any of the great teachers were born. It is not better than, or alternative to, but is inclusive of all. Dharma is that out of which our earth and humanity itself emerged. Dharma not only is, but always was, and always will be. To live in alignment with, and to know the true nature of that Sanatana Dharma is one of the ways of describing the higher goal of life.
  • Sanatana Dharma thereby gives reverence to individual spiritual experience over any formal religious doctrine. Wherever the Universal Truth is manifest, there is Sanatana Dharma — whether it is in a field of religion, art or science, or in the life of a person or community. Wherever the Universal Truth is not recognized, or is scaled down and limited to a particular group, book or person, even if done so in the name of God, there Sanatana Dharma ceases to function, whatever the activity is called.
  • Sanatana Dharma comprises of spiritual laws which govern the human existence. Sanatana Dharma is to human life what natural laws are to the physical phenomena. Just as the phenomena of gravitation existed before it was discovered, the spiritual laws of life are eternal laws which existed before they were discovered by the ancient rishis (sages) for the present age during the Vedic period. Sanatana Dharma declares that something cannot come out of nothing and, therefore, the universe itself is the manifestation of the Divine being.
  • Since Sanatana Dharma is referring to those ways of being which are in concert with the Absolute, and are therefore axiomatic laws, this term is not referring to something which is open to alteration. Just as the laws of gravity, mathematics or logic are not open to sectarian debate or relative opinion (gravity, for example, is an inherent law of nature regardless of whether one believes in the law of gravity or not), similarly the subtle laws of God transcend all partisan concerns.
  • The world is made up of three tendencies called gunas: sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic. Sattvic tendencies are those that are pure, clean, good, wholesome, calming, and peaceful. Rajasic tendencies are those that are active, moving, indecisive, and forceful. Tamasic tendencies are those that are inert, lazy, dull, and dark. If it were not for these three tendencies, we would not exist. Everything is a mixture of them. Even a saint, who is primarily sattvic, has some level of rajas and tamas in him/her, however small.
  • Sanatan Dharma makes use of yoga as the means to attain moksha (God-realization). Yoga has been poorly translated to mean "union". It does mean "union", but that is a poor definition because it encompasses so much more. Yoga is the union withBrahman (Absolute God). Yoga is also the means to achieving union with Brahman. Therefore, the word yoga is not merely a statement of union, but it encompasses the actual experience of liberation.

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

THE GAYATRI MANTRA

The Gayatri Mantra has been chronicled in the Rig Veda, which was written in Sanskrit about 2500 to 3500 years ago, and the mantra may have been chanted for many centuries before that.

For ages, this beautiful prayer has seemed mysterious to the Western mind and was out of reach even for most Hindus. It was a well guarded secret, withheld from women and from those outside the Hindu Brahmin community.

Today, it is chanted, meditated to, and sung around the world with reverence and love.  It is often compared to The Lord’s Prayer in significance and impact.

The beautiful and soothing ancient sounds, the flowing rhythmic patterns, and the powerful intent make the Gayatri Mantra a wonderful part of one’s daily spiritual practice. Because it is an earnest and heartfelt appeal to the Supreme Being for enlightenment, it can be universally applied.  It really doesn’t matter what your religion, your color or your ethnicity is – what matters is your intent, and your authenticity, and your willingness to be moved.

The ancient Hindu scriptures describe how the sage Vishwamitra was given the Gayatri mantra by the Supreme Being as a reward for his many years of deep penance and meditation.  This was to be a gift for all humanity.

It is said that this sacred prayer spirals through the entire universe from the heart of the chanter, appealing for peace and divine wisdom for all.

The Gayatri Mantra inspires wisdom in us.  In very basic but beautiful language, it says "May the divine light of the Supreme Being illuminate our intellect, to lead us along a path of righteousness". 

The Vedas say:
To chant the Gayatri Mantra 
purifies the chanter.
To listen to the Gayatri Mantra 
purifies the listener.
But the mantra does more, as I found out. It opens up your heart. And how well we know, when both our minds and our hearts open, we open ourselves up for new possibilities.

For many devout Hindus, the Gayatri is seen as a Divine awakening of the individual mind and the individual soul – Atman -- and within it, a way to Union with the collective consciousness - Brahman. Understanding and simply loving the essence of the Gayatri Mantra is considered by many to be one of the most powerful ways to touching God.

One interpretation is that the word Gayatri is derived from the words:
  • gaya, meaning “vital energies” and
  • trâyate, meaning “preserves, protects, gives deliverance, grants liberation”. 
So, the two words "Gayatri Mantra" might be translated as “a prayer of praise that awakens the vital energies and gives liberation and deliverance from ignorance”.

The shorter form of the Gayatri is practiced far more commonly:

“OM BUHR, BHUVA, SWAHA
OM TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM
BHARGO DEVASYA DHEEMAHI
DHIYO YONAHA PRACHODAYAT”

We meditate on the glory of the Creator;
Who has created the Universe;
Who is worthy of Worship;
Who is the embodiment of Knowledge and Light;
Who is the remover of Sin and Ignorance;
May He open our hearts and enlighten our Intellect.

The longer version is more profound.

“OM BHUR, OM BHUVAHA, OM SWAHA, OM MAHAHA, OM JANAHA, OM TAPAHA, OM SATYAM
OM TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM
BHARGO DEVASYA DHEEMAHI
DHIYO YONAHA PRACHODAYAT”

According to the Vedas, there are seven realms or spheres or planes of existence, each more spiritually advanced than the previous one.  It is written that through spiritual awareness and development, we can progressively move through these realms and ultimately merge with the Supreme Being. Many Buddhist teachings have also referred to these seven realms.

By chanting this mantra, Divine spiritual light and power is infused in each of our seven chakras and connects them to these seven great spiritual realms of existence.


The Gayatri Mantra has been chronicled in the Rig Veda, which was written in Sanskrit about 2500 to 3500 years ago, and the mantra may have been chanted for many centuries before that.

For ages, this beautiful prayer has seemed mysterious to the Western mind and was out of reach even for most Hindus. It was a well guarded secret, withheld from women and from those outside the Hindu Brahmin community.

Today, it is chanted, meditated to, and sung around the world with reverence and love.  It is often compared to The Lord’s Prayer in significance and impact.

The beautiful and soothing ancient sounds, the flowing rhythmic patterns, and the powerful intent make the Gayatri Mantra a wonderful part of one’s daily spiritual practice. Because it is an earnest and heartfelt appeal to the Supreme Being for enlightenment, it can be universally applied.  It really doesn’t matter what your religion, your color or your ethnicity is – what matters is your intent, and your authenticity, and your willingness to be moved.

The ancient Hindu scriptures describe how the sage Vishwamitra was given the Gayatri mantra by the Supreme Being as a reward for his many years of deep penance and meditation.  This was to be a gift for all humanity.

It is said that this sacred prayer spirals through the entire universe from the heart of the chanter, appealing for peace and divine wisdom for all.

The Gayatri Mantra inspires wisdom in us.  In very basic but beautiful language, it says "May the divine light of the Supreme Being illuminate our intellect, to lead us along a path of righteousness". 

The Vedas say:
To chant the Gayatri Mantra 
purifies the chanter.
To listen to the Gayatri Mantra 
purifies the listener.
But the mantra does more, as I found out. It opens up your heart. And how well we know, when both our minds and our hearts open, we open ourselves up for new possibilities.

For many devout Hindus, the Gayatri is seen as a Divine awakening of the individual mind and the individual soul – Atman -- and within it, a way to Union with the collective consciousness - Brahman. Understanding and simply loving the essence of the Gayatri Mantra is considered by many to be one of the most powerful ways to touching God.

One interpretation is that the word Gayatri is derived from the words:
  • gaya, meaning “vital energies” and
  • trâyate, meaning “preserves, protects, gives deliverance, grants liberation”. 
So, the two words "Gayatri Mantra" might be translated as “a prayer of praise that awakens the vital energies and gives liberation and deliverance from ignorance”.

The shorter form of the Gayatri is practiced far more commonly:

“OM BUHR, BHUVA, SWAHA
OM TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM
BHARGO DEVASYA DHEEMAHI
DHIYO YONAHA PRACHODAYAT”

We meditate on the glory of the Creator;
Who has created the Universe;
Who is worthy of Worship;
Who is the embodiment of Knowledge and Light;
Who is the remover of Sin and Ignorance;
May He open our hearts and enlighten our Intellect.

The longer version is more profound.

“OM BHUR, OM BHUVAHA, OM SWAHA, OM MAHAHA, OM JANAHA, OM TAPAHA, OM SATYAM
OM TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM
BHARGO DEVASYA DHEEMAHI
DHIYO YONAHA PRACHODAYAT”

According to the Vedas, there are seven realms or spheres or planes of existence, each more spiritually advanced than the previous one.  It is written that through spiritual awareness and development, we can progressively move through these realms and ultimately merge with the Supreme Being. Many Buddhist teachings have also referred to these seven realms.

By chanting this mantra, Divine spiritual light and power is infused in each of our seven chakras and connects them to these seven great spiritual realms of existence.

The Gayatri Mantra has been chronicled in the Rig Veda, which was written in Sanskrit about 2500 to 3500 years ago, and the mantra may have been chanted for many centuries before that.

For ages, this beautiful prayer has seemed mysterious to the Western mind and was out of reach even for most Hindus. It was a well guarded secret, withheld from women and from those outside the Hindu Brahmin community.

Today, it is chanted, meditated to, and sung around the world with reverence and love.  It is often compared to The Lord’s Prayer in significance and impact.

The beautiful and soothing ancient sounds, the flowing rhythmic patterns, and the powerful intent make the Gayatri Mantra a wonderful part of one’s daily spiritual practice. Because it is an earnest and heartfelt appeal to the Supreme Being for enlightenment, it can be universally applied.  It really doesn’t matter what your religion, your color or your ethnicity is – what matters is your intent, and your authenticity, and your willingness to be moved.

The ancient Hindu scriptures describe how the sage Vishwamitra was given the Gayatri mantra by the Supreme Being as a reward for his many years of deep penance and meditation.  This was to be a gift for all humanity.

It is said that this sacred prayer spirals through the entire universe from the heart of the chanter, appealing for peace and divine wisdom for all.

The Gayatri Mantra inspires wisdom in us.  In very basic but beautiful language, it says "May the divine light of the Supreme Being illuminate our intellect, to lead us along a path of righteousness". 

The Vedas say:
To chant the Gayatri Mantra 
purifies the chanter.
To listen to the Gayatri Mantra 
purifies the listener.
But the mantra does more, as I found out. It opens up your heart. And how well we know, when both our minds and our hearts open, we open ourselves up for new possibilities.

For many devout Hindus, the Gayatri is seen as a Divine awakening of the individual mind and the individual soul – Atman -- and within it, a way to Union with the collective consciousness - Brahman. Understanding and simply loving the essence of the Gayatri Mantra is considered by many to be one of the most powerful ways to touching God.

One interpretation is that the word Gayatri is derived from the words:
  • gaya, meaning “vital energies” and
  • trâyate, meaning “preserves, protects, gives deliverance, grants liberation”. 
So, the two words "Gayatri Mantra" might be translated as “a prayer of praise that awakens the vital energies and gives liberation and deliverance from ignorance”.

The shorter form of the Gayatri is practiced far more commonly:

“OM BUHR, BHUVA, SWAHA
OM TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM
BHARGO DEVASYA DHEEMAHI
DHIYO YONAHA PRACHODAYAT”

We meditate on the glory of the Creator;
Who has created the Universe;
Who is worthy of Worship;
Who is the embodiment of Knowledge and Light;
Who is the remover of Sin and Ignorance;
May He open our hearts and enlighten our Intellect.

The longer version is more profound.

“OM BHUR, OM BHUVAHA, OM SWAHA, OM MAHAHA, OM JANAHA, OM TAPAHA, OM SATYAM
OM TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM
BHARGO DEVASYA DHEEMAHI
DHIYO YONAHA PRACHODAYAT”

According to the Vedas, there are seven realms or spheres or planes of existence, each more spiritually advanced than the previous one.  It is written that through spiritual awareness and development, we can progressively move through these realms and ultimately merge with the Supreme Being. Many Buddhist teachings have also referred to these seven realms.

By chanting this mantra, Divine spiritual light and power is infused in each of our seven chakras and connects them to these seven great spiritual realms of existence.


PASHUPATI NATH ( Siva


PASHUPATI NATH ( SHIVA ) ,,found in Indus valley ( Indus valley Civilization ) 2500-3000 B.C.

The spiritual importance of Rudraksha,



Rudraksha, also rudraksh, Sanskrit: rudrākṣa ("Rudra's eyes"), is a seed is traditionally used for prayer beads in Hinduism . The seed is produced by several species of large evergreen broad-leaved tree in the genus Elaeocarpus  with ganitrus being the principal species used in the making of organic jewellery or mala. Rudraksha, being organic, is preferentially worn without contact with metal; thus on a cord or thong rather than a chain.The word rudraksha is derived from two words - rudra (रुद्र) and aksha (अक्ष).Rudra and aksha means the one who is capable of looking at and doing everything (for example, the third eye). Aksha also means axis. Since the eye can rotate on one axis, it too is known as aksha. Also Rudra means the one who weeps. A (अ) means to receive and ksha (क्ष) means to give. Hence, aksha (अक्ष) denotes the ability to receive or give. Rudraksha is the one that has the ability to wipe our tears and provide happiness.
         The benefits have not been proven by science but rudraksha is believed to provide good support         for those who are constantly on the move and who eat and sleep in a variety of places. This is              because it is claimed to create a cocoon of the wearer's own energy. It is said that if the situation         around one is not conducive to one's kind of energy, one will experience difficulty settling                  down. This was noted as being especially difficult for sadhus and sanyasis as they were                        constantly moving, and were traditionally never supposed to rest their heads in the same places              twice. Likewise, the rudraksha may be helpful for travellers and professionals who eat and sleep        in a variety of places.
        Sadhus or sanyasis od almost all panths living in the forest would have to resort to naturally available                water sources. A common belief was that, if the rudraksha is held above the water, it would go clockwise if the water was good and drinkable. If it was unfit for consumption, it would go counter-clockwise. This test was also believed to be valid for other edibles. When worn on a mālā, it was also said to ward off and act as a shield against "negative energies"

KARMA

Karma

Actions and Destiny

Consciousness is in everything that exists; the elemental force of the Universe that vibrates in every atom. The development of consciousness commences first at the level of the stone, and continues in metal, crystal and vegetation. Plants already have the ability to feel, but are not able to express or communicate their feelings to others. At the next level of development are life forms such as coral and anemones that appear to be plants but actually belong to the animal kingdom. Then come fish, birds, mammals and finally humans as the most highly developed earthly beings.
Some of the more highly evolved animals have developed a certain limited capacity to discriminate, but humans are the only living beings on earth with comprehensive discrimination and free choice over their actions. Only we humans are capable of consciously shaping and changing our life.
Because we are “I-conscious” and behave wilfully, we also bear responsibility for our behaviour. That is why the cosmic law of KARMA is valid for us humans. The Karmic Law states that every action we take will at some time come back to us in the same way as it went out from us.
Therefore the most important precept that should be observed is:
To harm no-one by our thoughts, words or deeds.
We produce Karma in four ways:
  • through thoughts
  • through words
  • through actions that we perform ourselves
  • through actions that others do under our instructions.
Put briefly - everything that we have ever thought, spoken, done or caused is Karma; as is also that which we think, speak or do this very moment.
After death the physical body remains on the earth and decays; the elements detach from one another and return to their source. We again find ourselves as a bodiless, spiritual being in the astral plane because the subtle sheaths – the astral, mental and causal bodies – continue to exist. In these all our feelings, knowledge and memories remain. But there is one thing we lose after death - Kriyā Shakti , the ability to act. Only in the physical body are we are capable of doing good or bad. After death we are unable to do anything. Our earthly possessions, title and position no longer have any value - whatever level we reach in the Cosmos depends entirely upon our Karmas.
There are three types of Karma:
SANCHITA KARMA
PRĀRABDHA KARMA
KRIYAMĀNA KARMA
  • SANCHITA KARMA is the accumulated Karma from all of our previous lives. It would be impossible to experience and endure all Karmas in one life. Therefore only a small part of the Sanchitakarma comes into effect with each birth.
  • PRĀRABDHA KARMA is the portion of the accumulated karma that has “ripened” and appears as a particular problem in the present life.
  • KRIYAMĀNA KARMA , however, is everything that we produce in our present life. This Karma flows into the Sanchitakarma and consequently shapes our future.
When we plant an apple seed in the earth then naturally an apple tree grows. We can only expect apples from it and no other fruit. And in the same way the seeds of our actions also produce the appropriate effect.
The Law of Karma says that the energetic vibration arising from each action will one day come back to the one it originated from, either with the same qualities or even stronger through other intervening interactions. Through our actions we plant the “seeds” of our future destiny and therefore whatever happens to us is the “fruit” of our own past. If we think and act negatively we increase the disaster-bringing influences of our destiny; whereas positive thoughts and deeds develop the happiness-bringing potential.
There are two types of adverse actions; those we perform unconsciously, and those we do consciously and against our better judgement. Undoubtedly the latter weigh more heavily. Those who make a mistake out of ignorance do not invite such heavy karma to themselves as those who intentionally inflict harm and pain. But just as poison affects us if we take it unknowingly, suffering caused unintentionally, and therefore unconsciously, also gives rise to an appropriate karmic effect.

The great sage and poet, Srī Tulsīdās , said:
“Our destiny was shaped long before the body came into being.”
Just as a farmer first prepares his field so that later he can harvest a crop, we have first “sown” our destiny and, according to plan, those circumstances through which it can be fulfilled are produced.
If destiny is fashioned in this way, then what point is there to our efforts? Are we merely “puppets” moved by the thread of an inevitable fate? Not at all! We are able to exert an influence and alter the course of providence. What happens to us is pre-determined in the same way as the target of an arrow that has already been shot. Its course is foretellable and predictable – unless it is deflected or diverted by a new influence. Even though the events of our destiny are, in fact, lawfully caused and steered as a consequence of earlier actions, we do, however, have the opportunity to avert, or at least lessen, the impact through our present behaviour.
We are therefore in a position to change the course of our destiny – but only if we do something about it. Not just “anything”, but the right thing at the right time. Through positive actions, pure thoughts, prayer, mantra and meditation we are able to resolve the influence of the Karmas from which we are suffering in this present life, and in this way gradually turn our destiny around for the better. The spiritual Master helps us with this. He knows the “karmic formula” and is aware of the sequence in which our earlier and present actions will bear fruit. That is why he is able to advise us and show us how we can partially or completely deflect the “arrow” of our karmas and so escape avoidable sorrows.
What does Karma look like? One can neither touch it nor see it. When fortunate or unfortunate events affect us, we say: “That was lucky” or “That was unlucky”. But it is really our own vibration that pulls us towards luck or misfortune. We are driven hither and thither by it, just like a boat moved about in the wind and currents. Karma is a vibration that surrounds our subtle “Phänomen” . Its fine vibration is not limited spatially and accompanies us everywhere. The effect of our phänomen can be compared with a dynamo that generates two kinds of energy: negative and positive.
Positive Karmas – love, forgiveness, help and selfless service, practising mantra, prayer and meditation – generate a positive, healing energy that purifies and enlightens our phänomen. If the being of a person is filled only by the radiance of positive and divine qualities, his phänomen is completely illuminated. Such a person is an “enlightened one”; one who is united with God – because God is love, light, harmony, knowledge, reality, truth and unity.
However, through negative thoughts, words, deeds and harmful qualities, such as anger, hatred, jealousy, attachment, passion, greed, fanaticism and egotism, destructive energies are produced which darken our phänomen. We produce negative Karma because we lack knowledge and clarity. The purpose of our existence here on earth is to gain correct knowledge and insight. If we do not make use of this opportunity and remain in ignorance, then after death we must again return to the world in a new birth to clear all unresolved Karmas.
Whether we believe it or not – rebirth is a fact. As humans, however, we have the possibility to make more rapid progress towards the light through the practice of good Karma. This is why we should not allow the precious opportunity given by a human life to slip by! We are travellers who have come to the “Hotel of the Earth” for just one brief night. Soon a new day will dawn and we must again depart. We can take nothing with us; everything remains here except the quality of our actions.

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