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Showing posts from October 31, 2018


Story Of Origin Of Panchatantra

Panchatantra is one of the oldest collections of stories for children in the world and is also believed to be the first anthology of animal stories. The story of the origin of Panchatantra is as interesting as the stories in the five books originally written in Sanskrit. Legend has it that thousands of years ago, there lived a king in India . He had three foolish sons. The king was worried about their future. One day he asked his ministers to suggest a way to make his sons wise and fit for the world. One minister asked the king to take the help of an old teacher named Vishnu Sharma. Eighty-year-old Vishnu Sharma was invited to the palace and king explained about the nature of his sons to the old teacher. Vishnu Sharma immediately agreed to make the princes wise and intelligent. He took permission from the king to take the three sons for six months with him. The three princes lived in the ashram of Vishnu Sharma for next six months. Daily, the old teacher to

Story - Curse on Yama and Birth of Vidura in Mahabharata

Yama, god of death in Hinduism, appeared as Vidura on earth and was the uncle of Kauravas and Pandavas in Mahabharata. The birth of Yama on earth as Vidura was a result of curse by Sage Mandavya. Legend has it that once Sage Mandavya was in deep meditation in his ashram. A group of thieves who were being chased by soldiers ran into the ashram and hid inside it. Sage Mandavya was immersed in his meditation and was unaware of what was happening around him. The soldiers caught the thieves from the ashram and accused the sage of assisting the thieves. The soldiers in a fit of rage thrust a spear into the sage which resulted in his death. When Sage Mandavya wanted to know from Yama why he had suffered such a fate; Yama explained that as a child the sage used to catch butterflies and enter sharp twigs through them for fun. Sage Mandavya felt that the actions of children, which are done in innocence, should be forgiven and should not be part of Yama’s book – the book which

Udyapan for Ahoi Ashtami Vrat – Ujaman of Ahoi Mata Ashtami Fasting

Below is the procedure for Udyapan for Ahoi Ashtami Vrat. Ujaman is performed after Ahoi Ashtami fasting. Woman can perform this Udyapan of Ahoi Ashtami Vrat after marriage to wish god to bless them for healthy children. Women who does not have children or those women whose children are not getting married should necessarily do Udyapan of this fast. 1)    Place a set of four pooris at each seven spots in a big plate 2)    Put lumps of halwa on each set of pooris 3)    Place above in a big plate. 4)    Cover it with folded pair of a yellow coloured sari and blouse topped with some money as per your financial statues. It is offered to the mother in law. It is called Bayana, the women doing Udyapan should give this Bayana to their mother in law respectably and should touch their feet to take blessing. 5)    Then apply some roli and rice on the edges of the plate 6)    Then give this plate to your mother in law respectfully and touch her feet to take her blessing.

Different Versions Of The Ramayana Around The World

The original Ramayana was written by Sage Valmiki. There are numerous other versions of the Valmiki Ramayana in India and around the world, especially in Southeast Asia . Most of the different versions around the world stick to the main theme but have unique characteristics and a regional flare. Tibetan translation of the Ramayana was made in the 8th or 9th century and this is one of the earliest translations of the Ramayana made in the ancient Tibetan script of Tubo. Chinese Buddhist sutras also contain fragments of the Ramayana. In Indonesia , the Ramayana epic was written in the Old Javanese language around the 8th or 9th century and entitled Ramayana Kakawin. In Laos , the two popular versions of Ramayana are Phra Lak Phra Lam and Gvay Dvorahbi. In Thailand , the popular Thai version of the epic is known as Ramakien which dates back to the 13th century. In Cambodia , the story of Lord Ram is The Reamkher . In Persia , it is the D

Niyamas – 10 observances in Hinduism for a Meaningful and Happy Life

Niyamas are 10 observances in Hinduism for a meaningful and happy life. Some scholars define the term Niyams as self restraint codes. The ten niyamas are mentioned in the Patanjali Yoga. The shloka that defines the ten Niyams is – Siddhanta – Sravanam danam matirisvara pujanam, Santoshah tapah astikyam hrih japasca tatha vratam. The 10 niyamas as mentioned by the Shloka are – Siddhanta – reading, listening and contemplating to discourses of spiritual scriptures Daan or Dhanam – charity Mati – the ability to differentiate between good and evil. The courage to say NO and move only in the path of dharma. Puja – worship of God Santosha – contentment Tapa – Penance and austerities to stay in the path to Moksha or liberation Astikyam – Belief in the Supreme Truth Hri – Modesty Japa – Repetition of Mantra Vratam – Sacrifice of desires, ego, and sensual pleasures. The Niyamas are primarily meant to discipline the thought and actions of an individual. 

Mother Goddess Worship in Hinduism - History - Goddess Worship in Vedas

The earliest archeological evidence of Mother Goddess worship in India is found in the Indus Valley Civilization. Goddesses are also mentioned in Vedic hymns and Samhitas. The maximum number of Goddesses is found in the Atharva Veda. Then there are numerous goddesses of folk origin whose antiquity and origin are unknown. Many of them continue to be worshipped even today. Aditi, Apo-devi, Ushas, Prithvi, Vak, Ratri, Sri, Nishthigri, Urvasi, Saraswati, Sandhya, Sinivali, Sraddha, Gayatri, Savitri, Indrani, Godha, Ghosha, Juhu, Dakshina, Medha, Yami, Sarama, Sarva-rajni, Lokshya, Romasa, Visva-vara and Durga are goddesses mentioned in the Vedas. Most of the Goddesses represent the different aspects of nature. Some are protectors and some personifications of diseases. Some represent fertility and nourishment. Then there are humans who have attained the status of Goddesses. Some folk goddesses have special powers to cure small pox, snake poison etc. Some goddesses are ‘gr

Importance of Lakshmi Chalisa - Mahalakshmi Chalisa Text In Hindi

Lakshmi Chalisa consists of forty verses dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. The Chalisa is believed to have been composed by Sundardasa. Each verse is dedicated to praising the Goddess and the devotee wants to know when the when the goddess will remove his/her misfortunes and why is there a delay in removing the misfortunes. Sab sukh bharani Lakshmi Amba, Dinan par kahan karati vilamba. Tu tribhuvan tam-nasani hari Ho jag janni Vishnu ki pyari.  O mother Lakshmi, you grant all happiness; what makes you delay being merciful to the helpless? O primordial source of the world, beloved consort of Vishnu, you are the dispeller of the gloom covering the three spheres! In some verses, the goddess is compared with precious stones and other invaluable things in the world and in some her beauty is praised. Mukut bich shishu chand virajat, Tisar nayan bhal bich sajat. Jhumat jhumak manin laran ki, Sohat choli harit varan ki, 

Ramanujacharya Quotes - A Collection of Teachings of Sri Ramanuja

This Ramanujacharya Quotes are from English Translation of Sri Ramanuja's Sanskrit Commentary by Dr. S Sankaranarayan. The commentary is for Chapter 2 Verse 18 of Bhagavad Gita. The root 'dih' means 'to grow.' Hence these bodies (Dehas) are characterized by complexity. They have an end – their nature is perishability. Self is eternal, for (1) It is not a complex being of a single form; (2) It is the knowing subject; and (3) It pervades all. On the contrary, the body is perishable, because (1) it is complex; (2) it serves the purpose of experiencing the fruits of Karma by the embodied self; (3) it has a plurality of parts and (4) it can be pervaded. Therefore, as the body is by nature perishable and the self by nature is eternal, both are not objects fit for grief. .................. Teachings of Sri Ramanuja Devotion and absolute self-surrender are the happiest and best means to reach God. A seeker must acquire a true knowle