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Showing posts from September 20, 2011


Aghora Shiva

Aghora Shiva is the fiercest form of Shiva and is the middle form in the Pancha Mukha Shiva concept. Aghora Shiva faces the south and represents the destructive and regenerative aspect of Shiva, which first absorbs all life and then renovates the universe by creating things afresh. The term Aghora has two meanings – one who is not fierce – meaning the handsome. Another meaning is the fiercest. It is for a devotee to decide how he/she wants to approach Aghora Shiva. For his devotees who follow dharma – Aghora Shiva is the handsome. For those who tread the path of Adharma he is the fiercest. The term Aghora first appears in the portion dedicated to Shiva in the Adharva Veda. The mantra associated with this form of Shiva is the Aghora Mantra composed by Aghora Maharishi. The mantra has 51 letters. aum hrong aghore ghore hungm, ghortare hungm; aum hreengm kleengm, sarvatah sarvaange, namaste rudra roope hungm A popular belief is that one who chants the Aghora mantra and wears b

Lessons from Bhagavad Gita – Being Honest about one’s Weakness

If Arjuna was a slave of his image then he would have lost the Mahabharata war. Arjuna was honest about this weakness and was ready to share it with Sri Krishna. The greatest warrior became a weakling and sat down asking guidance. The world got the Bhagavad Gita and Arjuna fought successfully for Dharma. Ramnath Subramanian, CEO and President, The Bhakti Center, explores this aspect of Bhagavad Gita in an article titled ‘ The Bhagavad Gita and the Value of Vulnerability ’ in the Huffington Post. Excerpts from the article This very lesson is conveyed at the onset of the Bhagavad Gita, India's classic on yoga and spiritual wisdom, where prince Arjuna provides a remarkable example of vulnerability. Arjuna was a veteran of many battles and had never lost a single combat. His acts of prowess, courage and intelligence were world-famous. Yet, Arjuna faced a situation where he had to fight his own kinsmen.  His courage was tested and he broke down in front of his dear friend Krishna, expr