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Showing posts from June 12, 2019


Apsara Menka – Story Of Menaka Apsara

Apsara Menka is one of the most beautiful celestial dancers in the court of Indra. Story of Menaka Apsara is found in the Mahabharata and Puranas. She helps Indra, the king of demigods, by distracting Rishis (Saints) who undertake severe penance. Indra felt threatened by the Rishis because his position among as the king of demigods (devas) might be threatened if the sages acquired spiritual powers by virtue of their penance. Menaka is referred to in the drama Vikramorvasiyam as a “tender weapon of Indra”. Several instances of Menka distracting sages from their spiritual goal have been recounted in Hindu scriptures especially the Puranas. One such instance refers to the birth of Shakuntala, heroine of poet Kalidasa’s drama Abhijnana Shakuntalam. The original story is traced back to the Mahabharata Adi Parva 71 – 72. When Indra found the royal sage Vishwamitra performing severe penance, he sent Apsara Menaka to distract the sage from his penance, which she effectively d

Goddess Worship in Hinduism - Importance Of Goddess Worship In India

Hinduism is perhaps the only living religion that has a long and thriving tradition of Goddess Worship dating from time immemorial to the present day. There has never been a break in Mother Goddess Worship in India. The Worship of Mother Goddess is found in the Indus valley civilization and terracotta Mother Goddess figures dating back to 1000 BC has been found in other parts of India . Importance of Goddess Worship in Hinduism can be estimated from the famous saying that Shiva is dead body (Shava) without Shakti. Goddess Worshipped in Hindu religion is associated with procreation, motherly care, preservation, fertility, nourishment, knowledge, wealth, savior in times of difficulty, love and compassion. Along with her positive traits, she can also be a terror, who will unleash calamity; she can cause and cure distresses. Thus Mother Goddess is also believed to be a personification of Nature – she is Shakti – nothing exists without Her. It must be noted here that that Mot

Ramayana in Indonesia - Importance - Story Difference

The earliest known reference of Ramayana in Indonesia dates back to the 9th century AD and is in the form of bas-reliefs in Prambanan in Central Java . The various written version of Ramayana in Indonesia are  Kakawin Ramayana,  The Serat Ram,  The Javanese Uttarakanda,  The Carit Ramayana,  The Serat Kanda, and The Rama Kling. Kakawin Ramayana is credited to Yogishwara and is considered to be the oldest version of Ramayana in Indonesia . It is believed to have been written between the 10th and 13th century AD. It sticks to the original version and is believed to be a translation of Bhattikavya, a 5th century version of Ramayana in Kashmir . The Uttarakanda and Balakanda are not found in Kakawin Ramayana. Two of the popular modern adaptations of Kakawin Ramayana are Serat Ram and Carit Ramayana. The Javanese Uttarakanda is an independent literary work and describes mainly the genealogy of demons and Vanar Sena (Monkeys). The Serat Kanda and

Vat Savitri Vrat Katha – Sabitri Brata Fasting Story - Vat Purnima Story

Vat Savitri Vrat in North India, Vat Purnima in Western parts of India  and Sabitri Brata in Orissa is observed by married women for the wellbeing of their husbands and for a happy married life. On the day, women observe fast and worship Banyan Tree (Vat) and Savitri. The story of Satyavan and Savitri is a subplot in the Mahabharata. Vat Purnima Story - Vat Savitri Vrat Katha  King Ashtapathi had a beautiful and intelligent daughter named Savitri. The King gave her the permission to choose her husband. One day, Savitri met a young man in the forest who was carrying his blind parents in two baskets balanced on either side of a stick. The young man was Satyavan. Impressed by Satyavan’s devotion towards his blind parents, Savitri decided to marry him. On enquiry, the King found out from Sage Narada that Satyavan was the son of a deposed king and that he was destined to die in a year. King first refused to give permission for the marriage but Savitri was adamant. Final

Nadi Shuddhi Benefits

Nadi Shuddhi is the cleansing of the channels in the human body. Nadi in Sanskrit means a channel. Shuddhi means cleansing. There are numerous benefits of Nadi Shuddhi. It is one of the fundamental presuppositions of hatha yoga that prana (vital air) flows along the 72,000 nadis in the human body. Among the 72,000 nadis in the human body, three nadis are said to be of prime importance. They are ida (left nadi), pingala (right nadi) and Sushumna (central nadi). Sushumna Nadi is the most important and it is usually partially or fully clogged in all of us. With the practice of hatha yoga, especially pranayama, the impurities accumulated inside the nadis are removed. When ida and pingala, which go to the left and right nostril respectively, are cleansed, the vital air starts entering the Sushumna. First it makes an impact on the dormant kundalini power situated at its entrance. It rises up through the Sushumna, making way to prana to enter the inner passage. This is the

Sirphala – Bilva Tree

Bilva Tree associated with Lord Shiva is also known as Sirphala (head fruit). The tree is also called Sirphala because the fruit resembles a skull with a white bone like outer shell with soft pulp inside. The botanical of Bilva Tree is name was Aegelemarmelos. It is called the Indian bael or Bengal quince and belonged to the lemon and orange family. In the Atharva Veda, the Bilva tree is described as being so sacred that its timber should not be burnt. According to the Puranas, Goddess Lakshmi was born as a divine cow and from her appeared the Bilva tree. Lakshmi Ashtottara Nama Stotram   refers to Goddess Lakshmi having her abode in the Bilva tree - bilvanilaya. So, the tree is also called Sri Vriksha, the tree of prosperity and good fortune. The fruits are also referred to as Sriphala - the fruit of plenty. Sri Suktam too associates the tree with Goddess Lakshmi. Practically every part of the tree has some medicinal use: root, leaf, trunk, fruit and seed, are u

Madan Mohan Temple in Cooch Behar West Bengal - Cooch Behar Madan Mohan Bari History

Madan Mohan Bari or Madan Mohan Temple in Cooch Behar, West Bengal, is one of the most important Hindu temples in North Bengal. It is dedicated to Lord Krishna and was built during the fag end of the 19th century. Unlike other Hindu temples, the Madan Mohan Temple Mandir is pure white in color. Below is the highlights of temple along with short history of  Cooch Behar Madan Mohan Bari. The large temple complex also houses the idols of Goddess Kali, Goddess Tara and Goddess Bhavani. Raas Mela, in October or November, and Rath Yatra, in June or July, are the most important festivals. Accommodation for devotees is provided at the adjacent Anandamoyee dharamshala for Rs 60 per person. Puja tickets cost Rupees 3. Cooch Behar Madan Mohan Bari History  Lord Shiva worshipper Maharaja Nara Narayan (1554-1588 AD) influenced by Sankardev (Baishnav spiritual preacher of Assam), sculpted the original murti of Lord Madan Mohan. The current temple was built during the 19 th century

Nadi Vritta – Equator In Ancient Hindu Religion

Nadi Vritta is the name used to refer to equator in ancient Hindu religion. It is an imaginary line which cuts the earth into two equal halves and which is perpendicular to Earth’s axis. All points on the equator are equidistant from the North and South Poles of the earth. Aryabhata I (476 – 550 AD), a well known Indian astronomer, in his Aryabhatiyam, says that the Earth is round and that the Earth rotates on its own axis from west to east. Due to its diurnal motion, the celestial bodies appear to rise in the east and set in the west. There are other related facts, when the axis of the earth’s rotation is extended, it meets the celestial sphere at two diametrically opposite points called the celestial poles, of which the one in the direction of the Earth’s North Pole is called the celestial North Pole, and the other, the celestial South pole. In the figure, the great circle AB, whose plane is perpendicular to the line pp’ joining the celestial poles is called the Vis