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Showing posts from September 6, 2019


How To Identify A Good Shaligram Shila? – Salagrama Stones

Shaligram Shila or Salagrama Stones are worshipped as a natural form of Bhagvan Vishnu. Here is a brief not on how to identify a Good Shaligram Shila. This will help you in avoiding cheats who sell fake Salagrama Stones. A good and auspicious Salagrama is one which has a Chakra, which resembles a naga (cobra) reposing in a spiral. The spirals in the chakra in the Salagrama should have in them delicate traceries running across them. Those salagaramas which are the size of an amalaka fruit (gooseberry) or smaller are considered highly effective. Salagrama may be of the following colors – brownish black, green, white, red, blue, dark brown, jet-black, yellow or multicoloured. Salagrama Stones That Should Be Avoided Badly mutilated, rough surfaced ones, having large number of holes, scarred with many lines, unusually large sized, having only one loop in the spiral, burnt, very red, those with several chakras in a  line should be avoided. Source – Elements of Hindu

Gaja Shastra in Hinduism – Study of Elephants in Ancient India

Gaja Shastra is a discipline of study of elephants in ancient Hindu India. Palakapya’s Gaja Shastra and Hasti Ayurveda are important books on elephant study in ancient Hindu religion. Author of Gaja Shastra Palakapya is mentioned in various other scriptures too. Other important books on elephant in ancient Hindu world are: Manasollasa by Somadeva, Matangalila of Nilakantha and Sivatattvaratnakara by Keladi Basavaraja. The life span of an elephant is believed to be 40, 80 or 120 years depending on the auspicious marks on its body and sturdiness of its limbs. An elephant matures at the age of fourteen. Palakapya wrote on methodology for sawing and pruning of tusks on auspicious occasions. He also wrote about the strategy of striking an enemy tusker. He also wrote about many martial arts connected with pachyderms. Agni Purana mentions that a special rite involving an elephant was performed during warfare. Kings used to worship the royal pachyderms during the Navrat

Story of Shiva Trapping Proud Ganga in His Hair

King Bhagiratha performed severe austerities and got the boon from Brahma to bring Ganga on to earth to help his ancestors attain moksha. But Brahma told Bhagiratha that Earth did not have the capacity to tolerate the fall of Ganga . Only Shiva could hold the fall of Ganga . King Bhagiratha then performed tapas and pleased Shiva. Mahadev Shiva told the king that he was ready to hold the fall of Ganga on to earth. Ganga was not happy with Shiva saying that he would hold her fall on to earth. Ganga became very large in size and came down with unimaginable force. She wanted take Shiva to the Patala (underground) with her mighty fall. Sensing the attitude of Ganga , Shiva decided to teach her a lesson. As soon as Ganga fell on his head, Shiva engulfed her in his hair. Her idea of pushing Shiva down to the netherworld failed and she was trapped in the matted locks of Shiva. She could not find her way out and for thousands of years she roamed around in the matted l

Gava Ayurveda In Ancient India – Health Care of Cattle – Animal Husbandry in Hinduism

Animal husbandry and health care of bovines (cattle, ox, cow etc) in ancient India was known as Gava Ayurveda. It was one of the occupations of ancient Hindus, concerned with the production and care of domestic and other animals. Hinduism had a highly developed technique of breeding, feeding and cattle management. Cattle rearing were considered as an important occupation in Hindu religion. The cow is a symbolic representation of the earth and traditional object of worship among Hindus. Possession of the cow has been considered an important indicator of wealth. A healthy cow should first urinate and then defecate, otherwise she is considered to be sick. The hooves of a cow should be washed every day, but bathed only once a week. The body of the cow should be brushed with coconut fiber to make the hair soft. Parasites, such as lice and mites, should be removed regularly. The cow should be protected from the rain and sun and the shed should be kept clean.

Swami Saradananda Quotes And Teachings

A collection of Quotes and teachings of Swami Saradananda.  Swami Saradananda  (1865 – 1927) is  a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna. Conflicting desires arise in the mind. Because of these desires the mind is constantly lashed into waves. As long as these waves form, the mind is restless. In order to control these waves, which give rise to thoughts of a worldly and distracting nature, one must live a life of self-discipline. The main thing is one-pointedness of mind. . . It is hard to control the mind, but it must be done. There is no other way. The more you think of Bhagavan, the more will other thoughts decrease. There must be a continuous flow of one thought— the thought of Bhagavan — during the period of wakefulness. Then, at the time of meditation or in sleep, unbecoming thoughts will not find any loophole to enter. We think we are loving without any selfish taint or hope of return, but deep within us there lurks the expectation that it should be returned and are quite