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Showing posts from May 24, 2018


Mund Mala of Shiva – The Story of the Skull Garland or Necklace Worn by Shiva

In some pictures, Shiva is depicted as wearing a garland made of skulls. This necklace is referred as Mund Mala. The story of the skull garland was narrated by Shiva to Goddess Sati. Sage Narada was eager to know about the secret of mund mala. Therefore, he incited Goddess Sati to find out the secret. When Mata Sati kept asking about the Mund Mala, Shiva revealed the secret. Shiva told Mata Sati that the skulls in the garland are hers. There are 107 skulls and therefore Mother Goddess had appeared 107 times. Mata Sati then wanted to know why she has several births and Shiva has only one birth. Shiva then told Sati that he knew the secret of immortality. Sati then wanted to hear the secret of immortality. Shiva started narrating it but fell asleep in between and the secret was never revealed. Mata Sati then self-immolated at the Daksha Yajna. Thus, she became the 108th skull in the garland. Later Mother Goddess Sati appeared as Maa Parvati. But she liste

Janakpur Dham in Nepal – Darshan of Janakpur – Mata Sita Temple – in Nepal

Janakpur Dham in Nepal is associated with Ramayana and it was the city of Raja Janak and Mata Sita. There are numerous holy places in Janakpur and thousands of Hindus arrive daily to have darshan of these religious sites. There is no dearth of Hindu temples in this ancient temple town. The most famous temple in Janakpur is the Janaki Mandir it is dedicated to Bhagavan Sri Ram, Mata Sita, and Lakshman. There are specially designated areas in the shrine known as Patti. Thus Ram Patti is the area where there is the temple of Bhagavan Sri Ram. In Sita Patti it is the temple of Mata Sita. There is also a Lakshman Patti. Janakpur Dham is spread over a large area – 15 km in all four directions. On the west side, the important shrines are Galeshwar Nath Mahadev and Mandeshwar Nath Mahadev. On the north side, the important shrines are Shireshwar Nath and Parvatheshwar Nath. On the east side, Singheshwar Nath and Maheshwar Nath Mahadev. On the south side, Kalyaneshwar Nath and

How Is Indian Culture Spiritual? – Swami Ranganathananda Answers

Writers and speakers generally say that Indian culture is spiritual. What does it mean? Does it mean that all the people of India are spiritual? India has its own share of wicked people, non-spiritual people, evil people. But if this statement has any meaning, it means this: that the direction of Indian culture is towards the high spiritual Truth hidden in every human being and that the honor the nation gives to any person depends upon the spiritual quality of that person. You can study a culture by asking the question: What is the highest human excellence that is appreciated in that culture? In one culture it is the military power, in another culture it is the intellectual strength, in another, it may be money. In India, all these are respected, but the highest respect goes to a person of God, one who has realized oneness with all through spiritual development. Throughout history, India has maintained this quality; the highest person in India is a person of God, a person of spir