Namaskara ( bowing down )

                                  Namaskara ( the act of bowing down )


        Namaskara is a gesture of respect and an express of humility. It is a powerful link in bringing a close contact between two people. This is seen almost in all parts of the world in different forms.

While leaving the temple, it is customary for the devotee to show his respects and humility by bowing down to the deity.

As commonly see , people put their closed palms together near the chest, close their eyes and pray. Some touch the feet of the idol with their forehead and do the bowing.

In Indian tradition, males do sashtanga namaskaram. Ashta means eight and anga means parts of the body. Sashtanga namaskara means bowing down before the deity with the eight parts of the body touching the earth ( floor ). It is a respectful obeisance made by the prostration of the eight limbs of the body on the ground. The eight limbs are knees, feet, hands, chest, mind, head, speech and eyes.
At the time of prostration, hands, legs, chest, knees, eyes, hands all should touch the ground and mouth should chant prayer or namah with full concentration of mind. It is also a prostration on the ground like a log ( dandavat ) .

For ladies, Panchanga namaskara is prescribed in the scriptures. While bowing down in a bending manner, the five parts of the body namely two knees, two hands and head should touch the ground and the mouth uttering a prayer with full concentration of mind. Her de.icate parts of the body should not touch the ground.

This Panchanga namaskara confers dheerga sowmangalya ( long married life ) and all good benefits to ladies. Thus namanskara creates a sense of equality among all. It is a sort of exercise to body, mind and intellect and purifies them .

Pradakshina ( Circumambulation )

       


                       Pradakshina ( Circumambulation )



 Circumambulation is an act of respect to a higher authority.  In a temple, it is customary to circumambulate the deity. This practice is not based upon blind faith but has a scientific basis. Whetever in the temple the deity is consecrsted in accordance with the rules of scriptures, the image gets infused with divinity. It is Believed that this divinity radiates in the form of magnetic waves from the central point of the base of the idol. This spreads around in a circle . The vibrations are the strongest near the deity and gradually become less, as the circle becomes larger. The positive vibrations influence a person walking around the deity.

The divine halo always moves clockwise. So walking around the deity in clockwise direction is good and beneficial. This power of vibration serves as a blessing in increasing our strength and protecting us from obstacles and calamities . If some one does circumambulation in the anti-clockwise direction, there occurs a clash between the motion of divine energy and the divine atoms present in our body. With the result our strength and power get destroyed . Sometimes negative effects arising from that can cause difficulties in life. So it is prohibited and considered a sin .

It is a tradition that after abhisheka ( anointing the deity ) and prayers and offerings, circumambulation is done around the deity . In general it is customary to walk three to eleven times, odd in number around a deity.

According to scriptures, the ideal number of doing circumambulation is one in the case of Lord Ganesha, two for Sun, three for Shiva, four for Vishnu, five for goddess, six for Lord Subramanya and seven for the Pipal tree  .

Religious texts direct that when going around the image of Shiva one should not cross the line where the offering of milk and water flows.
It is said that when deities and asuras were churning the milky ocean with the help of a mountain and a big snake, first to come out was the poison. On seeing the poison, devas and asuras ran in fear.
While Lord Shiva consumed that poison in order to protect the world, the running away by the devas in fear is known as Somasutra-Pradakshinam.

In a temple, the place where the abhishekam water comes out from the deity is known as Somasutra m. Since this pradakshinam is performed without going beyond this place, it also gets the name Somasutrapradakshinam according to Shiva agama Shastra.

According to scriptures, while circumambulating Shiva, one should not go beyond this line where the offering of milk and water flows. For this reason, one takes only half a round around Shiva. The other half is done in the reverse manner . It is also believed that the divine vibrations radiate around the image of Lord Shiva both ways  clockwise and anti- clockwise.

This is symbolic of the fact that there is no need to continue one's journey  , once one has reached his aim, one may return. The Ardhapradakshinam in Shiva temple is considered equivalent to the controlled breathing ( Pranayama) performed by a yogi.

Thus an important practice associated with temple worship is circumambulation . We should not wear footwears on our feet, carry umbrella or any external thing.. This will not give us the benefit of circumambulation . The ideal manner of circumambulation is to walk slowly without the movement of arms, chanting the names of god, and with the mind focussing on the vision of the Almighty. Walking done at rapid pace does not result in Pradakshinam as it is supposed to be an upward journey.

Offering and Prasada

 


                                   Offering and Prasada




      It is said in the scriptures that one should not go to see a deity. preceptor and a king empty-handed . So it is customary for the devotees to take some flowers or fruits, dry fruits or sweets as a token to temple.

It is said ' Food is Brahman.' It is the food that contributes to our health and vitality. Whatever we eat or drink has been made available to us by the grace of god. We express our gratitude to him by offering a token of this to him in worship.

In the Bhagavadgita also, Lord Krishna says that whatever a devotee does or eat, that should be first offered to him. So all the offerings are dedicated to god.

During worship flowers, dry fruits, fruits, sweets are offered to the Lord. After offering them to the deity, the priest distributes this as ' Prasada  (imbued with the blessings of the god ) ' to all people there. Apart from this water ( charanamrita ), Tulasi leaves, Vibhuti ( sacred ash ), Sindoor ( vermillion ) are also given in Prasada to the devotees.

It is believed that the flower remains the same though the bee sucks honey from that. Similarly, the quantity of offerings does not decrease, only the subtle portion of them is taken by the deity. It is a faith. It is believed that the offerings are charged with mysterious powers by the chanting of the mantras and hymns during the worship. When the devotee places his offerings at the feet of the deity, the same offerings become Prasada after the worship. Prasada is that which gives peace and happiness. The grace of the deity descends on the offerings. Each deity is offered different kind of offerings with special significance attached to each. The benefits of Prasada and water ( charanamrita ) are beyond description . They have the power to cure diseases in many cases. Prasad is an antidote for misery, pain and anxiety. The faith and hope are the key factors. It is spiritual elixir. It is divinity in manifestation. Offering and partaking of offering is significant in another way also. It reiterates the truth that all things which man gets are from Nature ( Lord ). And through offering them to God first and then sharing among the people, man expresses his gratitude to the Lord. This also points out that Nature's bounty not for amassing and enjoying alone but for sharing it with all. Nothing he owns. Man cannot have anything without His grace. This feeling of gratitude erases the ego and brings humility in devotees.

Nirajana ( Aarti, waving of light )

                                      Nirajana ( Aarti, Waving of  light )



        Worship of  Lord is done with sixteen upacaras. Aart is one among these. This is called Mangalajyoti, Mangalanirajanam.

We at home and the priest in the temple keeo the ignited lamp in the right hand and rotate it from left to right before the image of the god. In that light, the entire image is clearly seen. While showing the aarti we pray mentally. In temple, the devotees gathered sing songs specially meant for aarti. The entire atmosphere gets charged with divine presence with the ringing of bells and chorus singing of aarti songs by the devotees. We see the image in the light and get absorbed into it by standing and watching there. During that time our prayer becomes deeper.

Aarti is performed after the Abhisheka ( anointing the idol with perfumes and water ). The priest decorates the idol and offer fruits and sweets to it. That time uttering prayers, ringing bell, we express our happiness and experience a unique joy in looking at the Lord . When the aarti is taken we close our eyes and try to visualize the Lord in our mind. This is symbolic of the fact that we are all temples where god resides.
We extend our hands in the aarti and apply its warmth on our eyes closed. We do it so that the divinity in the aarti may be transferred to our heart.

Light is the image of god. The priest shows the god in light, the preceptor ( Guru ) also through the light of knowledge shows the god in us. The presiding deity of the intellect is sun, mind is moon and fire is speech. All these are lighted by the god, the consciousness. We worship that light, the teal form of the Lord. He is the giver of light to all. hence the Light of all lights.

Camphor aarti has also significance. The camphor burns fully. There is no sign or residue left. The camphor represents our vasanas ( dormant desires ), ego which distances us from god. When we realize our true nature through knowledge in the mind, the mind gets illumined. Our vasanas are burnt and our ego melta away.
The camphor cannot burn itself. It needs fire. Similarly the individual soul ( Jiva ) cannot identify itself with the Lord. It needs fire of knowledge.

Participating in aarti is an exhilirating experience. It is rightly said that three things revive a person's soul ; pleasant sights, pleasant sounds and pleasant smells.

Bell

                                             Bell


   The bell ( ghanta ) is mentioned in the Puranas ( scriptures ) as an important appliance at worship, and also as a protector from evils. The bell is said to be an embodiment of all gods and that of all musical instruments, hence it should be sounded.

Tying of the bell in the Shiva- temple is said to confer on the person fame in the three worlds. The shape and structure of the bell is also specifically described. At the head of the bell, there should be Garuda, the vehicle of Vishnu or Nandi, the vehicle of Shiva.

The temple where ringing of the bell is regularly heard, is known as waking temple. Big and small bells are hung at the entrance of the temple, so devotees ring them and announce their presence for the worship of god. At the time of aarti also, the bell is rung and others in the neighbourhood get information that that is the time for aarti. It is rung with a special rhythm . The sounding of the ghata ( bell ) is mentioned at typical and specific periods - at the time of worship, at the sleep of god, at waving the lamp around the god's image, at the time of the bath of the idol of the god, and at anointing it.

The chiming of bells in ancient and modern day Zen Buddhist monasteries and ashram as is a regular ritual that serves to subtly transform one through sound. Considered to be a spiritual act, bell ringing is intended to awaken the spiritual energies within us - within our surroundings. In Indian temples now a days also, the spiritual act of performing aarti, a form of worship that waves a lamp flame infront of a deity is accompanied by the ringing of a bell or many bells simultaneously to awaken the energy of divine grace.

A bell provides an audible reminder of our Bliss Principle within.

Scientific studies have reinforced the motion that resonance is basic to healing with sound and music. As good rhythmic sound waves enter the body, sympathetic vibrations occur in living cells, which help to restore and reinforce healthy organization. The human being therefore is likened to a very complex, unique and finely tuned musical instrument. The high water content of the body's tissues helps to conduct a soothing massage at the atomic and molecular level.

Kalasha ( Water pot )

                                        Kalasha ( Water pot )


       Kalasha is one of the eight auspicious things in worship. Kalasha denotes auspiciousness.

   It is derived from ka means water and lasa means adorned. That which is adorned with water is called Kalasha.

Story behind the origin -
It is associated with the churning of milky ocean. It is said that Vishvakarma, the divine architect made a pot with the different powers of the deities to carry the nectar that came out from the churning of the ocean. So it is a symbol of properity. The divine doctor Dhanvantari carried this pot of nectar.

It is said that Brahma resides at the top of the pot, Lord Shiva in its neck and at the bottom resides Vishnu and Matruganah ( group of dieties ) reside in the middle portion of the Kalasha and in the stomach water of all the seven oceans, Vedas with their angad are present in the Kalasha.

Man needs water for living. To invoke god in that water, we worship Kalasha. Through Kalasha we create god. In a pot we tie the small white thread around the body in a net like pattern and put cardamom, clove, camphor in the water and on the top of the pot we keep mango leaves with coconut.

Generally brass or copper pot is used because they are considered good conductors of energy. It is believed that when mantra ( sacred hymns ) are recited outside they are absorbed inside the pot . Kalasha represents body and the threads around it are nadis and nerves. Fragrant powders are the supporting strength - chromosomes, genes, DNA, RNA etc.

A bunch of mango leaves and over it is kept a coconut with its head on it. All the leaves wither away but mango leaves do not . Mango tree symbolises dispelling of ignorance and giving knowledge and mango is fruit of knowledge. That is why mango leaves are used to give a prop to coconut.

Coconut is unique of all vegetables. It gives nourishment. It has three eyes . While worshipping the god we utter ' Soma Suryagni lochsnayai namah ' obeisance to the moon, sun, fire eyed one!. Here the right eye is the sun, left moon and third is fire. Third eye represents knowledge and can be opened by the god . God Shiva has three eyes . So the coconut represents the god. The head portion is considered as god and kept it on the pot. Fiber part is hair. So after breaking the coconut, only that hair is thrown out. Even when brass or copper pot is not available, mere coconut is used and the god is invoked because coconut contains natural water, the nourishing strength. No other vegetable has this property. So coconut is used as crown . Coconut is therefore considered auspicious and is designated as ' Shriphala.'

In worship of goddesses also, mother goddess's  face engraved on a metal is fixed to the rim of a pot. Filled with water, topped with coconut, and ringed with a coronet of mango leaves, a pot transforms into Purnakalasha, or brimming pot that ushers in fertility and fortune. The Purnakalasha is a permanent feature of all Hindu festivities related to marriage and child-birth. The pot represents fertility, the earth and the womb. The mango leaves ( mango flowers are considered as one of the five bows of the god of love ) associated with Kama, the god of love represents the pleasure principle that is an essential ingedient in fertility. The coconut, a cash crop in the tropical countries, symbolizes prosperity. It also represents the ego which makes one to relish power. The water in the pot is the nourishing element without which there can be no life on the earth. Pot serves as surrogate womb in many stories. Sage Agasthya was born from a pot . The womb, the giver of life is worthy of worship. It is the pot of immortality that keeps a family tree alive and flourish.

In nutshell, Kalasha is symbolic of human body and water in it is divine consciousness in the body.

Meditation

 

                                          Meditation


           The famous philosopher Shankaracharya in his ' Vivekachudamani ' says:

      ' Without taking the medicine, by just repeating the name of the medicine, no malady can be cured. Likewise, without practical perception and experience, by merely repeating wordd, no one can attain salvation.'

Spiritual journey is an inward journey:
As one advances in spiritual practices, the little ' I ' confined to the body, mind and intellect expands to objects and beings in one's surrounding. Shutting all wordly thoughts, closing the eyes, a person becomes introvert and looks for identification of Supreme reality as a source of peace and bliss in one's own self by seeking isolation and calming down the mind. Yoga, repeating the name of God in the heart, practice of Pranayama, simple healthy diet all aid meditation. In meditation, when one merges in one's being completely, there is unique joy and peace.

Work, Meditation and Knowledge:

All these have significance in the evolutionary process leading to self-realization.

SuryaGita, an ancient philosophical treatise declares, ' Without knowledge one will not succeed in perfecting meditation, without glorifying one's inner life through meditation, one cannot achieve right knowledge. These three - knowledge, meditation and work, help one another and together lead man to peace, perfection and freedom. If one neglets one of these disciplines obeying the advice of wrong teachers he cannot achieve liberation.'

The act of meditation can take one to a brief pilgrimage to tranquil places within. It is said,

' Here in this body are sacred rivers; here are the sun and moon as well as all the pilgrimage places. I have not encountered another temple as blissful as my own body. '

Actually it is not necessary to go to any holy place or even sit at one place for meditation.
The first stepin meditation is being mindful of what we are doing. We should do our actions with a sense of service and an awareness of being an instrument in the hands of a hogher power. Any action giving a feeling of joy and a sense of performing duty is meditation. The next step in meditation is to experience and express love and respect for the Supreme Power and for His creatures and that makes our thought, word and action as acts of meditation.

Meditation is feeling compassion, friendship, humility and love for the One Principle pervading all beings and objects of this world.
The highest state of meditation is at the level of just being. In this state we identify ourselves with the core or divinity in us - the Principle of Consciousness and Bliss. When our mind is full of love and peace, we get absorbed in every action of ours and we find every action whether cooking, washing, stitching or driving in a taffic jam enjoyable. Then our life itself becomes a joy and celebration.

Essence of worship and meditation :
A sincere worker need not believe in God or  Liberation ; yet he finds the ultimate truth by unselfish work. A mother loves and does her duties to her children selflessly and cheerfully. When one can give to the world like a mother, only then one can realize divinity through work. Any action or duty done with love and devotion in the spirit of service itself is worship amd meditation. When such supreme goal which is the highest goal of a human life is achieved, the external props also get channelized and sublimated. In the words of Shankara, in his hymn 'Para Puja ' ( the highest worship ), it is beautifully expressed thus,


1. What place is there in which to invoke the infinite, or what can serve as a seat for him who contains within himself all existence ? Howcan we offer Padya ( water for washing the feet ), or Arghya ( oblation of Durva grass,rice etc. ), to one who is pure spirit, or Achamana ( water to wash the mouth ) to one who is eternally pure ?

2  If what use is the offering of ablution to one who is ever clean, or clothing to one in whose womb the universe is ? What is necessity of putting the holy thread on one who is beyond all support, or the offering of flowers to one whom perfume cannot affect ?

3.  How can the offering of perfume be made to one who is ever untouched ? Of what use are ornaments to one who is beauty itself ? What is the purpose of presenting eatables and betel to the All-pervader, who is eternally satisfied in himself ?

4 . How is making of Pradakshina ( circumambulating ) possible to the limitless and obeisance to the one whole, indeed without a second ? What hymn can be sung in praise of one whom even the Vedas cannot describe ?

5 . Of what use is waving of lights before the all- pervading and self- effulgent one ? And how can the valedictory ceremony be performed to one who fills the whole universe, in and out ?

6.  Thus, verily, through the idea of oneness alone, is the highest worship to be performed, without distinction of time and circumstances, by the highest knowers of Brahman .

Efficacy of prayer

                          Efficacy of prayer





    The main forms of mental worship are prayer and meditation

   The fickle nature of the mind is compared to a monkey which becomes drunk with the wine of desire, while jealousy stings it like a scorpion and the demon of pride takes it over. The mind, when uncontrolled becomes a source of pain and when controlled and properly directed to good path, is the solution to all our problems .

Prayer is an effective means to control the mind for attaining peace. Prayers, psalms, and hymns are common in all religions. We find them to be a fundamental part of the religious literature of the world. With the idea of a personal God come devotion and worship, and prayers and hymns are but the natural outcome of one's conception of that personal God and one's relation with him. Prayer gives hope. It protects one from the main enemies of man namely fear, grief, and depression. Hope heals and helps mobilize a person's defences and promotes optimism.

Among the more profound accomplishments of modern science has been discovering that mind and body are not separate and independent, but rather the same entity seen from different angles. With mind's healing pain, physical problems are also healed . Modern medical science also admits the healing power of prayers. Great experts of ancient times like Hippocrates, the legendary Greek father of medicine, Avicenna , Charaka all advocated the prayers along with medivation for quick healing. Charaka recommends the recitation of Vishnu Sahasranama for the cure of fevers.

Prayers are done by common men for personal gains like wealth, health, progeny etc. In scriptures generally prayers for universal welfare are mostly given as standard for praying. For instance, the vedic prayer -
' May everyone be happy,
May everyone be healthy ,
May everyone witness only auspicious things  ,
May no one suffer from sorrows .'

Another famous universal prayer is,

' God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.'

This prayer attributed to Karl Paul Reinhold Neibuhr dating back to the 1930s has had a tremendous impact on people all over the world.
This serenity prayer cuts across all religions in its universal appeal. It is like a magiv wand that soothes agitated minds by providing an unfailing anchor

The great philosopher Shankara also poured out sweet devotional songs on all deities to guide the common man setting a model for the correct method of worship. The hymns were inspired poetical outpourings of Shankara and are not mere literary versifications. Such devotional pieces have sprung from him while visiting hallowed places of worship and places where his God's presence could be felt strongly. To clothe his immortal feelings, he chose the apt immortal divine language Sanskrit. The underlying strand running in all the hymns is vedanta or monism

Many of his hymns are considered to be efficacious in securing secular benefits. They are expressed at the last stanza of each hymn. But to Shankara, prayer was no beggary. His hymns invariably consist of the prayer to gramt one the true ligjt of knowledge and discrimination and to save one from the wheel of birth and death, thus setting forth the ideal to be pursued by the devotee or aspirant. Ultimately worship in the form of prayers leads to absorption in meditation.

The essence of worship

       
                             The essence of worship

      In the external worship, five main things are used which ate symbolic of five elements of which our body and the entire cosmos is made

The sandal used in the worship represents Prithvi ( the earth ),flowers stand for Akasha ( the sky ), incense for Vayu ( air ), lamp for Tejas ( fire ), and offering ( Naivedya ) for nectar like water.
These outward symbols have profound philosophical and spiritual significance also.

Aromatherapists value sandle because of its ability to soothe the mind and boost the immune system, as well as relieve stress and ease depression. Used in sacred ceremonies in the temples for thousands of years . sandalwood is grown in India and Asia. The best grades are tapped from matured, forty to sixty year old trees.

Fresh flowers bring lightness and freshness to the surroudings. The beauty of flowers can still the mind . In Asian society, it is believed that flowers are a tangible link to the forces of the spiritual world .

Burning incense - Through its pungent aroma, burning in ense helps to create a peaceful mood and promotes a vibrational clearing in any space or environment. The smoke from the burning incense spreads all over the room. It acts as a disinfectant. It  also denotes that the Lord is all-pervading and fills the whole universe by His loving presence. The stick is completely burnt. Like that the vasanas ( desires) and samskaras ( impressions ) dormant in man vanish like the smoke of the stick and become ashes. Thus the mind also becomes stainless.

Light denotes that the Lord is all-light. It is He who lights the entire universe by removing the darkness. It is symbolic of the devotee's prayer that darkness ( ignorance ) of the mind be removed and intellect be illuminated with knowledge of the Supreme.

Water and Prasad ( offering given to Lord and partaken by the devotee after that ) is a life-giving force. In the Upanishads, anna ( food ) is called Brahman. It is the pure and healthy food and water that sustain life. Similarly the Lord is the life-giver of all.

Fasts, Fairs and Festivals

                                      Fasts, Fairs and Festivals



    The entire structure of indian life is built on ever-enduring spiritual realities, on the eternal values, on truth and laws discerned and discovered by the ancient Indian sages. Fasts, Fairs and festivals were intended mainly for maintaining the body and mind health.

In ancient time, people had all the time and nothing too much to work for. So seers and thinkers deviced ways to keep their ( common people 's ) body and mind busy with good thoughts to prevent the idle man's mind from becoming devil's workshop. Infact, all the days of the week were dedicated to the worship of the various deities for the fulfilment of various desires like Monday dedicated to Lord Shiva, Tuesday to Hanuman, Kartikeya, Wednesday to Vishnu, Thursday to Dakshinamurthy ( Shiva in the form of preceptor ), Friday to Goddesses and Saturday to Venkateshvara ( Vishnu ), Hanuman and Saturn and Sunday to the god Sun. Apart from this, different periods of time of the day are allotted as auspicious for starting and doing different activities of men. The eleventh day of every fortnight was given for observing fasts. Modern medical science also admits the necessity of fast once a while for detoxification of the body. Feeding birds and animals, treating guests with honour and study of scriptures were a daily affair.

Fairs are also a sort of worship around pilgrimage centres. Fairs apart from being a religious worship, served as centres for trade of articles, cattle and other things and for recreation and fun rides on animals like camel, elephant and merry go round wheel and games. Festivals are held at regular intervals taking into account the planetary conjunction especially the position of moon. It is a well-known fact that mind is influenced by the moon. On full moon days festivals are organized at temples by group participation in dance and music, as a part of worsip of the god to sublimate the turbulent mind. And the new-moon day is devoted to the remembrance of the departed ancestors. Major festivals mark the change of seasons. Accordingly the new produces from the fields are offered as 'prasad ' ( offering) to the deities as a gesture of gratitude and partaken by all poor and rich. Different festivals are devoted to different deities. The striking factor is the variety in celebration and offerings giving delight to the palate with a solid logic and scientific basis.

Thus religius worship happily gives way to an upsurge of a celebration of life as it becomes aeriod of intense soul searching digging out age- old social customs, musical and fashion traditions and cultural roots and observing them to the tiniest detail.

Festivals form one of the most important components of this strong structure of life and each festival carves in itself a multifold purpose.
1 A deep spiritual import.
2 A many sided hygienic activity - Bath in the early morning personal hygiene, cleaning the house and premises outside to maintain the atmosphere pure, free from germs.
3   A high social significance -  Equal participation by all promotes brotherhood. Economy is also given a boost as small vendors put shops to sell the articles needed and get a chance to earn money.
4     Preserving and fostering family-bond-relationship.
5  an ample measure of individual mirth and joy thus driving away fatigue and stress and adding freshness and spice to life.

On these days of festivals  people engaged in various kinds of job and work find much needed relief and the necessary atmosphere for religius thought, reflection and activity. Every festival reminds them of the glory of God all around and the need for God -realization and thus temds their mind towards the things of enduring value. The stories of Rama, Krishna, Hanuman, Durga and others have always been sources of great spiritual inspiration, encouragement and advancement in moulding of life, conduct and character of the Indians. Some festivals are celebrated enriching the relationship of sister-brother, wife-husband, student-teacher. So through these, the highest standard of conduct and ideal of life is inculcated into the minds of the masses. Annual festivals spread out throughout the year and the current of the spiritual thought and ideal is constantly kept up throughout the year. Thus they serve to purify the body and heart of the worshippers.

Religious worship and its significance

                          Religious worship and its significance



     It sounds strange but, it is a fact that man always searches for something new, it turns out to be an old only. Inspite of taking recourse to social media sites, cell-phones and other things for peace of mind, man finds himself isolated because these things do not connect him to the core. The root of the malaise lies in his abandoning creative and spiritual pursuits while devoting to materialistic pursuits only. Now , he is retirning to the time tested aveues, namely to Nature, meditation and religious worship. Nature is nothing, but a universal manifestation of the Supreme Power whose nature is eternal bliss and peace. In practical sense, Nature is nearer the truth, that is why it telaxes, gives joy, and peace. Meditation and worship are also intimate contact with that Power only. They can tame the restless mind.

Religion is nothing but a way of life guided by universal moral values and the ultimate goal of which is eternal joy and peace.
Socio-biologists claim that religion, and the concept of God not only helped our human ancestors understand the forces of nature, such as thunder and lightning, but also served an evolutioanr purpose. The cohesive factor of religion was in bonding a clan together, and making it better equipped to overcome competing claims in the struggle for survival. So different religions sprung in different parts of the world with their own rituals and symbols according to their geographical background but with the strong and solid basis of the same universal moral values.
The beauty and significance of religious worship lies in its varied forms.

Indian tradition is strongly cosmo-centric, where man lives as part of a system in which everything is related to everything else. The various forms such as steam, ice, dew are nothing but only water in essence. So plurality of gods is also seen to suit the different temperaments of people as the underlying basic principle and belief is that different forms are nothing but manifestations of one and the same Supreme Power. This variety is seen in the field of worship also. Worship is done in many ways such as observing physical and mental hygiene in keing fasts, festivals and fairs marked by dances, songs and games in groups catering to the gregarious nature of man and worship in temple and worship at home.

The flora and fauna, too, have permeated the natural religious life of the indians in a very intimate way. Birds and animals are vehicles of gods and goddesses. The elephant plays a very important role in religious processions, and the lotus is frequently used in artistic designs and religious symbolism. Various flowers like Jasmine, Roses, Hibiscus, Chrysanthemum, Lotus and others are important ingredient and considered sacred in worship . Leaves like Tulsi ( basil ), Bilva, Durba grass also get a promiment place in worship. Tulsi plant and Pipal tree are worshipped as gods . In fact, each god is associated with a tree making it sacred. Many of the leaves and trees have medicinal properties. Ancient seers realizing this fact, gave them a sacred status so that people can understand them in due course. There are numerous objects in the world, animate and inanimate . Natural objects like stone, wood , metal, minerals are used as such or converted, into particular shapes  modelled after the description of the deities in the Puranas , are used as objects of worship . Likewise picturesof deities are framed and used as objects of worship . It is not unusual to see pilgrims returning from holy places like Varanasi, Prayag, Haridwar fetching waters from the Ganges sealed in a copper vessel amd keeping it in worship . The medicinal properties of the pure water from the river Ganges is well- known and given a place of honor in worship. Agni ( Fire ) is considered as a deity and we make
offerings in Havans ( Sacrifices ). We pay obeisance to Sun god and perform Suryanamaskara . The indispensable part played by Fire and Sun in maintaining the vitality of our health are recognized and are given a sacred status in religious worship as a gesture of gratitude. It is also to be noted that most of the important festivals and religious practices are connected with different seasons and the harvest of grains. Thus  all these religious practices aim at the maintenance of good health and mind .

Our ancestors understood the nature and value of human mind. It is said in the Mahabharata, the great epic of India .

' Mind alone is the cause of bondage as well as freedom.'

Mind is a store house of tremendous energy. Mind works through its power of imagination. Imaginary fears resulting in grief and delusion involve a tremendous loss of energy and weakens man. He needs a support in the form of  Supreme Power who is more powerful and can give him solace. And the Supreme Power is not somewhere, It is within himself . By constantly  meditating upon the immortal, fearless and ever blissful Self within oneself , one can overcome the negative emotions and with positive emotions can achieve anything good he wants .

All can attain the eternal truth, the nature of which is peace and bliss, through the taming of the mind. The Supreme Power is abstract and formless. Not all of us, ordinary human beings as we are, can at one stroke contemplate on the abstract and formless.

Therefore , ordinary men need rituals, but in varying degree and of various kinds to move one step forward . For the ignorant and simple, it should be easy to grasp. The simlest method envisaged by the ancient seers was the constructions of temples where people of all kinds and all walks of life could participate and enable themselves. Temple is a pocket of serenity. This place of worship evokes a sense of peace, and harmony, transcending religion and time boundaries.

Greek biographer and historian Plutarch almost two thousand years ago was struck by the fact. He observed, ' If we traverse the world, it is possible to find cities without walls, without walls, without letters, without wealth,without corn, without schools or theater but a city without a temple, or that practices not worship, prayer and like, no one have ever seen.'

Knowledge is formless but to learn and acquire knowledge we have to depend upon the form of books. Once learnt, we assimilate the knowledge in our mind and we do not require the books. Idol worship is easier to control the mind. It is easy to concentrate on a form otherwise the mind and senses will wander. The worship consists of prayers and meditation. Meditation at home can also aid to calm down the mind. When we sit in a temple or in our Puja room at home and concentrate on the idol, our sense of smell will be satiated by incense and flowers, chanting of mantras and prayers will engage our mouth and sound of mantras and prayers and sound of bells will engage our ears, sight of the idol will control our eyes and tongue will be satiated by the prasada( food or fruit offering which is offered first and partaken afterwards as a blessing ). Hence idol worship is a first step of concentration towards realization of God and knowledge that God is within oneself not as an experienced object but as the experiencing consciousness. This consciousness is nothing but all-pervading cosmos. All negative emotions like anger, jealousy, hatred, violence etc will vanish and positive emotions like love,compassion, discrimination will bloom.The mind will be elevated to the highest stage to such an extent that any place will be a place of worship and any work, an act of worship.

The main object of worship of God, in and through an image, either in temple or at home is for the concentration of mind. Millions of people visit temples, participate in ceremonies, but not many of them are aware of the philosophy , the need for it and its real purpose. Many follow the religious practices mechanically. Piety is in the doing, not in the understanding.

The ignorance coupled with exploitation of people in the name of religion by fake saints and selfish politicians, violence by the indoctrinated poor ignorant youth, and with criticism from the
so called rationalists who brand it as idolatory makes even the educated people shy away from it.

The fault lies not in the religion but with modern people who look for instant solution to heal their fractured psyche so they fall prey to fake godmen of today instead of looking for genuine masters and valid scriptures for solace.
Maintenance of the purity of the body and heart is the essence and goal of worship. Worship has two factors faith and hope. Faith in the Supreme Power as a security and the hope that everything happening in life has some good behind it are great healers of the mind and give immese strength to sail smoothly in and through this life.

Rediscovering Ancient Wisdom - Vision of the Earth from Space

                                        Vision of the Earth from Space





Regarding the view of Earth from Space it is said, " That beautiful, warm, living object looks so fragile, so delicate, that if you touched it with a finger it would crumble and fall apart."

The ancient texts delineate the majesty of the Earth as experienced from above.

Aerial view of the earth is described in many ancient classical works like Raghuvamsham, abhijnashakuntalam of Kalidasa. In Raghuvamsham, when Rama was returning to Ayodhya from Lanka in Pushpakavimana ( aerial vehicle like aeroplane ), he descibes to his wife Sita ,the path of milkyway and other natural scenes as to how they looked from above.
He also refers to the unique serenity and joy he experienced while passing through them.
In Abhijnanashakuntalam, a famous drama by Kalidasa, Dushyanta, the king and the hero being called by Indra, the Lord of Heaven went to assist him in his fight against the demons ( descendants of Kalanemi demon ) . After the victory over the enemies, Dushyanta was returning to his kingdom on the earth in the chariot driven by Matali, Indra's charioteer.
While going to Indra's place, Dushyanta did look into space as he was preoccupied with the thoughts of war and defeating the enemies. He now being relaxed, enjoyed the beauty of vast Nature around him. He asked the charioteer about the path ( zone of the space ) through which they were traversing. Matali replied that was the zone of the space where the wind by name ' Parvaha ' blows and there in the milky way, that special wind directs the stars on their path.
The king replied that he experienced a unique serenity inwards there.
He later observed the path of the clouds through which the chariot was moving and the wheels were wet with the drops of water and at the flash of lightning, the horses were jumping and chataka birds were flying through the space between the spokes of the wheels. The king looked down at the earth , the abode of human beings. He describes it beautifully,
" It looks as if the earth is going down the high mountains, the branches hidden among the leaves are clearly visible, thin rivers are becoming wider and this earth is coming towards me as if somebody is throwing the earth towards us ."

Varahamihita's Brhat Samhita also mentions the various types of winds blowing in different zones of Space .

The famous astronaut Edgar Mitchell said,
" My view of our planet was a glimpse of divinity ." He added : " We went to the Moon as technicians, we returned as humanitarians ."

The Bulgarian Cosmonaut Aleksandro  was similarly moved, stating " We are all Earth's children. We should treat her as our Mother."

Vastness of Space and richness of Nature always inspires and ennobles man. That is why pilgimage centres are at the mountain tops or shores of the ocean and rivers.
Spiritual traditions indicate a reverence for Nature .

Some facts that may be of interest to you

                           Some facts that may be of interest to you





                               Medical symbol


    The Greek god of healing was Asclepius, whose symbol was a staff with a snake entwined around it. The snake suggests poison, disease and death. But it also suggests that the healer's power could somehow vanquish that of the snake.




                            Umbrella


The umbrella was supposed to protect royal heads not so much from the hot Sun or the rain as from the forces that might be let loose by evil spirits, who were jealous and envious of great personages and would do them harm. It is easy to understand that in the regions where the Sun's heat is very intense. It's cruel rays should be regarded as possessing hateful spirits. Anything that shaded these rays were considered good luck that brought immunity from harm to those under the umbrella.

After being an exclusive privilege of the monarchs and members of the religious orders, the umbrella was finally permitted to common people. And the people value the umbrella for protection from rain and harmful ultra-violet and scorching rays of the Sun.
A modern evolution of the umbrella is the parachute.



                         Wedding Ring

   Rings were seals of authority for use on documents and other important papers.
Wedding ring plays a significant role since ancient times. Ring ( circular form ) was regarded as a potent and powerful symbol for hundreds of years. The Egyptians were probably the first to fashion a ring to be worn on the finger. In their heiroglyphics, a circle ( even in other regions of the world ) represents eternity, therefore an idealistic symbol for union between man and woman. Egyptians were the first to have the idea that there was a vein, love's vein so called which was supposed to extend from the heart to the fourth finger of the left hand.
Roman writings also point out that the wedding ring should be placed on the fourth finger of the left hand to prevent the sentiments from escaping from the heart, then regarded as the seat of love as well as the other emotions. Further more, when so placed, it became a binding token of a woman's eternal love for the man who placed the ring there and under all circumstances she should be protected.
It was an ancient belief that in order to exercise its full power, a diamong ring had to be worn on the left side of the body, the so -called heart side, and the jewel had to be set that it touched the skin. Hence the custom of wearing a diamond engagement ring, with a clear setting of the left hand.
Diamonds are symbolic of love, virtue, purity, and innocence. They have also been proved effective against sorcery and evil eye .
Right hand was considered the hand of power and authority, the left, the hand of subordinate. Therefore the ring on the left hand of the bride meant she became her husband's subordinate, delicate worthy of love, care and protection. Practically, the left hand is less active and the ring less exposed to wear and tear.
It is interesting to note that there were different customs observed regarding this.
Single men and women wore a ring on the first finger of the left hand to indicate their eligibility.
A ring on the little finger of the same hand indicated ' Avoiding a proposal'.
If a man was to be a bachelor, he wore a plain band on the little finger
Widowers, displayed their status by wearing a white ring on the middle finger of the right hand.
A ring on the second or middle finger of the left hand indicated that the wearer was engaged.

Work and Rest - Balance

 
         

                   Rediscovering Ancient Wisdom

                                   Work and Rest - Balance

             Folk tales and legends mirror the earliest images, intuitions, experiences and thoughts of man.

Many folk tales narrate an interesting fact that in the beginning, there was day only. It was bright all the time. There was no night or darkness at all. According to one African tale, when the world was new, it never really got dark.when the Sun set, the Moon cast enough light on the world to make everything clearly visible. All was fine and good until the Supreme Being asked Bat to carry a baskeet to the Moon. The basket had darkness inside. Bat did not know what the Moon was supposed to do with darkness, but nevertheless he flew off on his mission. On his way to the Moon, however, Bat became tired and hungry. He set the basket down and went in search of food. While he was away, some other hungry animals came on the basket and began pawing into it, looking for something to eat. Just as Bat returned,the animals pushed the cover off the basket and released darkness into the night. Ever since, Bat has slept during the day and spent the night flying  about, trying to catch the darkness and return it to the basket, so that he an take it to the Moon, as promised.

According to a Vedic legend, in the beginning there was only day. Yama and Yami were brother and sister. First Yama died and reached a region where he became the king. It is known as Yamaloka. His sister Yami could not control her grief from the separation from her brother, so she was crying all the time. The Creator thought upon a plan and created night so that she , being too tired could go to sleep

Automatically because of the darkness of the night. Slowly she overcame the grief and became normal again.

These stories emphasize the significance of night and darkness and their healing power giving a period of rest to the body and mind. So Nature celebrates the day from Sunrise to Sunset allotting that time for all men to work and night after Sunset to next morning Sunrise to a period of rest so that after a hard day 's work, people can enjoy and end time with their family and rest on time to get up early morning the next day with new vigor and energy. After all man toils and earns not for himself but for the family. Accomplishment and fulfillment of this goal is facilitated by the Nature ' s  convenient division of day and night.

Human being is a perfect unit of physical body, mind and intellect. The mysterious human body, the temple of  God, or the Supreme Consciousness is the most marvellous and delicate machine in the world. The mechanism is also highly complex. The body with its various organs and flexibility of limbs and being endowed with mind and powerful brain is designed in such a manner that it cannot remain idle without doing any work. It's remarkable potential is , when properly directed, it can realize its immotal nature putting an end to the cycle of birth and death. At the same time, it has the inbuilt mechanism to take rest on its own to refresh itself and regain fresh energy to work further and for next day.


The body is the vehicle of the soul. So it should be cared for beauty and vitality. By eating pure and natiral foods and using natural products, one can maintain good health and thinking higher thoughts and doing good works, one can elevate one's positive vibrational level and quality of life. Adequate sleep is also necessary. For sleep, darkness is a must. The rules that governed our cave man ancestors still apply. That means diminishing lights on the night, clearing out the TV, Computer, phone and other electronic gadgets from the bed room and making it as dark as possible. Our body requires darkness to stimulate production of the sleep hormone melatonin. Artificial light used for a long time brings bad effect on muscles. Sleeping well makes waking up a pleasure. In Ayurvedic hours, the rising and setting of the Sun have more to do with man's waking and sleeping patterns than the electric bulb. Ayurveda teaches that the day is coosed of cycles with different energies. The hours from morning six to night ten are characterised by work energy and heaviness. This heavy energy after day's hard work helps you fall asleep at 9.30 P.M or 10 PM at night. 6 AM in the morning and according to Vedic scriptures 4.30 or 5 A .M in the morning is the best waking time. This the time when the energy that supports alertness and activity is at peak.

A proper balance of work and rest leads to a happy , peaceful life. In fact, Nature is the best teacher.
Sleeping too much or too little is related to less resposiveness of the cells in the body in insulin, reducing glucose uptake and thus increase the risk of developing diabetes in the future. Sleeplessness also causes health problems.
Overworking without adequate rest does not bring productivity and satisfaction.
It is the quality of sleep that counts. Deep sleep has admiring healing powers.  In deep sleep, man is not aware of anything. It is said to be a state of bliss.Advaitic Philosophy, sleep is known as ' Nitya pralaya ', because in deep sleep, The individual merges( temporarily ) into Supreme Consciousness. That is why sleep is endowed with great healing powers. Good sleep is Nature's tonic for healthy living.

While ambitious techies flock to big cities for money and glitter, now there is a parallel trend-search for the right work-life balance leading to quieter places to reduce the hours in the office and on the road and for lower cost of living. The glamour of a big city may not be there. But this is nothing when compared to the advantage of quality of life leading a happy and peaceful one with ample time to spend and enjoy with family and taking rest on time.

Now a days , a lot of companies are also introducing lower hours to 30 hours instead of40, 70, 80 hours.
Evidence suggests that we can only concentrate on a given task for several hours at a time before we start feel fatigued and our minds wander. After we have hit our peak, our performance will begin to touch the flatline or even suffer.
Today leadership philosophy believes that forcing people to work for even 40 hours a week is inhumane.
Four-day weekends with 32 hours a week will help people live more in the present, instead of waiting until the old age to enjoy time off.
Such a policy will reduce the living hours in the office only. When some more time time is available for personal interest, the employee can devote himself to his creative hobbies also.
Such a move will cotribute to productivity, employee's morale, loyalty and stability to the company.

On the other hand, when there is contentment and fulfillment in man's life, many family problems and social evils can be averted. Over all, there will be prosperity.
To put it in the words of R L Stevenson:-
                                        That's Life
Any one can carry his burden, until nightfall. Anyone can do his work, for one day. Anyone can live sweetly, patiently, lovingly, purely, till the Sun goes down. And this is all life really means.

        

Tending a tender plant

                                          Tending a Tender plant


             Everyone possesses a kind of inner force that guides him to his life ' path and goal for which he is born. Each one is born with some talent. Some develop slowly. Some when given proper environment, bloom. Some manifest the talent suddenly. Talent may be inborn in some cases where even without proper surroundings, blooming is seen . Precociousness in a child is due to his storage of talent in memory carried from his previous births . Indian philosophy advocates karma ( deeds ) and rebirth  . According to it, man reaps good and bad fruits in this life ( pleasure and pain ) what he has sowed in his previous births ( in accordance with his good and bad actions done by him in his previous births). But human intelligence and reasoning, his unique possession endows him with free-will and limited freedom which gives him mental strength to overcome the bad situations with his personal efforts.So talent can be cultivated. With learning and effort, talent can be developed. Learning can do wonders for people's self-confidence .

As a seed needs rich soil, water and sunshine to grow into a healthy plant giving flowers and fruits.Taking out weeds around is also equally important to accelerate its healthy growth. So does a child needs care and protection from bad company . The capacity to learn is essential in any field. The home is the real school and the parents are the real teachers. In addition to learning in school, parents should provide children with opportunities to learn, explore and identify things in a wider perspective. The child's mind is very pure and unsullied. So it has the capacity to retain the impact of good and bad things that lasts for ever. Visiting museums and sacred places like temple, church and others helps the child to develop a broader outlook towards life in this impressionable age. They create an atmosphere where learning and higher pursuits of life are seen and valuable. Exposure to stimulating surroundings like science exhibition, zoo, flower-show, games, music concerts, trekking, nature-walk, trips to historical places, library especially book-stores will fill his or her memory with useful facts, ideas and interest. Sometimes dormant interest in the child gets awakened . When a child is exposed to a variety of books on different subjects and topics, some may attract the child's interests.instances are not rare. In many cases , children develop interest in geography, history and languages. Sometimes these impressions embedded pave way for choosing a fitting career by the person on his own. Many became famous players in the field of Tennis, Chess, Football etc were inspired by watching their fathers practising and playing in the field in their childhood. Those days and even now apprentices would learn the trade by watching their masters and imitating them as closelyas possible. When Marie curie was four years old she wandered into her father's study and was inspired by all kinds of laboratory instruments for chemistry and physics experiments. She dreamt imagining all sorts of experiments she could conduct with those instruments. This childhood obsession paved way for her career as a researcher on the discovery of radium which won her nobel prize. Thus it seen that the environment sparks a curiosity that is deep. This inward learning connects one to the innate for force and provide clarity and the person will find his way to his career path. In order to master a field, you must love the subject and feel a profound connection to it. Your interest must transcend the field itself. Then the creativity and innovations will become a natural product on its own. Every moment of life will be new and thrilling.


Infact, learning starts when a child is in the womb of his mother. In Indian society, when the child is in the womb itself, pregnant women are exposed to classical music especially stringed instruments, Veena in particular



Scientific researches prove that as a baby develops in the womb , the rudimentary ears appear within a few weeks of conception. By four and a half months, the ears are complete and functional.. Thus for half of its time in the mother's womb, the baby can hear well and respond to sounds, especiall music. Relaxation sessions to melodious music for mother and unborn baby are encouraged. Hearing forms the fundamental basis for learning. The entire ancient scriptures like the vedas were learnt, developed and preserved through listening only.

Hearing in the early months of life is vitally important. In the weeks after birth also, as the young baby detects each sound especially for the first time, it moves its eyes rapidly ( REM, rapid eye movements ) and turns its head, attempting to locate the source of the sound. Even at this early stage, evidence shows that sounds are stored in the brain's auditory memory bank, providing resources for physical and mental co-ordination and intellectual development in later life.

According to Padma purana, Prahlada, the son of Hiranyakashipu , the demon was a learned brahmin and a devotee of Lord Vishnu in his previous birth, and when he was born as the son of Hiranyakashipu, he ( Prahlada ) still retained his ardent devotion to Vishnu.

According to the epic Mahabharata, when Abhimanyu was in the womb of his mother Subhadra, he happened to hear his father Arjuna explaining the art of entering and breaking through Padmavyuha( a peculiar battle array in the form of a lotus ) to Subhadra. Among the Pandavas  Arjuna only knew the art of breaking into that vyuha, killing the enemies and coming put of it unhurt. During the Mahabharata war , when the Kauravas at the advice of Drona formed this difficult vyuha, hoping that Arjuna was away at that time, none of the Pandavas would be able to break through it. Abhimanyu, the brave young boy assured his uncles that he was ready to try, if they only assisted him.He reconnected immediately with his knowledge received when he was in the womb and accordingly entered the vyuha, killed many warriors on the Kaurava side , but could not hold out long against fearful odds, and was atlast overpowered and slain as he learnt only one part of Knowledge namely breaking into the array and not the other part of coming out unhurt from that from his father.

In short, a child is a precious gift from God . An opportunity to tend a child, nourish him with proper surroundings, watch him grow into a healthy, responsible citizen of the world is a blessing and a unique joy in itself. So a child a rare treasure to be cherished.

Wisdom bytes

                                 Wisdom bytes

• God exists since mathematics is consistent, and the Devil exists since we cannot prove it.
• Music can name the unnamable and communicate the unknowable.
• Be the master of your will and the slave of your conscience.
• The greatest charity is to enable the poor to earn a living.
• In any free society where terrible wrongs exist, some are guilty-all are responsible.
• Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it.
• The world is a narrow bridge. The key to crossing it is not to be afraid.
• When brains are needed, muscles won't help.
• Don't send a cat to deliver cream.
• That's what life is: a collection of rare and unusual moments, like an array of gems set out before you.

Do You know?

                  Do you know ?


            Flip a coin


Flipping a coin is an ancient way of deciding a point. Even now it is followed in many cases like games and in deals involving two parties. People believed that when they flipped a coin it was the gods who would be deciding the winner as the coin turned over and over in the air on its way to the ground. Later, Fate or Lady Luck made the decision.
The idea " heads you win, tails you lose " comes from Julius Caesar's day, when the emperor's head was on coins. If his head came up when you called it, the decision was made once for all- Caesar always won.



           Earrings


Generally Earrings are considered simply as ornament. But throughtout history, Earrings have been effective amulets against the evil eye and were worn by both men and women.
Kings, poets, and sailors all wore earrings for superstitious reasons. Sometimes only one was worn on one ear,sometimes they were worn on both the ears.

Sailors believe that wearing earrings protects them from drowning, and that it helps their eyesight.

In ancient times the ear was thought to be the center of intelligence. The custom of pulling a child's ear to make him remember his school lessons comes from that ancient belief.


 
                   Birthday cake


Thanks to the Greek goddess Artemis, the goddess of the moon, we have such things as birthday cakes. It is said that Artemis's birthday was celebrated with moon-shaped honey cakes with candles on top.
Holy books from many religions say that if a phrase is written upon a piece of food, and the piece is eaten, the person will gain the power in the phrase.thus we say, " Happy Birthday !".
The superstition connected with birthday cakes actually has to do with the candles. Blow them all out on your first puff and you will get your wish.
                             


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