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Showing posts from April 4, 2018


Story of Ravana Trying to Lift Shiva’s Bow and Marry Sita in the Court of Janaka

King Janaka had declared that he will give Sita’s hand in marriage to one who will lift up Shiva’s bow and tie the string. Many princes came and tried but failed. According to folklore in Orissa, Jharkand and Bihar , Ravana too arrived in Mithila and attempted to lift the bow of Shiva. Ravana was a huge figure and the people of Mithila were amazed by his physical appearance. They believed he would lift up the bow and marry Sita. Filled with pride, Ravana attempted to lift the bow of Shiva. He almost succeeded in lifting the bow. Ravana then looked around and smiled contemptuously. The smile caused his downfall; he lost his balance and fell down with the bow on top of him. Soldiers attempted to pull out the demon king but they could. They attempted to lift the bow and they could not move it an inch. Sita who was witnessing the event slowly walked up to Ravana and lifted the bow with one hand and placed it in its spot. Ravana immediately walked out of the palace and d

Tips And Advices For Beginners In Meditation

Tips and advices for beginners in meditation is an extraction from Swami Vireswarananda: A Divine Life. How long should I meditate? You may do meditation as long as you can, but be careful that you do not strain yourself too much. Though you may feel joy at the beginning, you may tax your nerves and a reaction may set in after some time. You must have sufficient rest and sleep at night so that you feel refreshed when you sit for meditation in the early hours of the morning. You must take rest and sleep for six hours at least. If, for any reason, that is not possible at night and your habit is to get up very early in the morning, then make up the deficiency by taking a little nap after lunch. Often at the beginning, when our health is good and nerves are strong, we may not feel the deficiency in rest and sleep, but the accumulated strain will affect us in the long run. What if I am unable to meditate for long time? Do not feel depressed as you are not able to meditate for