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Showing posts from March 10, 2020


Archa Avatara Of Lord Vishnu – Importance Of Murti Form Of Narayana

According to Sri Vaishnava Agamas, Vishnu has five aspects or modes. They are para, vyuha, vibhava, antaryami and archavatara. The fifth form of Lord Vishnu, Archa Avatara (image manifestation), is very easily accessible and visible to all. Archa Avatara is the murti form (picture, painting, sculpture and other forms visible by human eye). Since we cannot worship para, vyuha, vibhava and antaryami forms, which can only be imagined and meditated upon, and since they are beyond our reach, Acharyas point out Archa Avatara alone suits the devotees most. The image form of Lord Vishnu becomes divine the moment it is installed by great acharyas according to the rules laid down in the Agamas. In Archa Avatara form, God receives prayers from devotees and grants their prayers and blesses them. Alvars have sung in praise of archa forms in 108 religious places (108 Divya Desams). Nalayira Divya Prabandham (four thousand divine collections) are the poetic descriptions of G

Nirmalya In Hinduism - Importance Of Nirmalya Darshan In Hindu Temple

Nirmalya in Hinduism is the overnight remains of the flowers, leaves and other offering to a deity in Hindu temple. The water used to bathe the deity in the morning and the act of bathing early in the morning and devotees having darshan of deity during the bathing is known as Nirmalya Darshan. The word malya refers to flower garlands, chaplets, etc. Though the remains of anything offered to a deity can be considered nirmalya, generally flowers used for decoration are described as such. Nirmalya Darshan is of great importance in many Lord Vishnu and Shiva temples in Kerala. Temples dedicated to Lord Krishna have Nirmalya Darshan around 3:00 AM and is attended by thousands of devotees. It is believed that the energy that emits during Nirmalya from the Murti will protect the devotee and provide positive energy. The deity is normally left with the decorations overnight, and early in the morning they are removed to prepare the deity for bathing. Such a darshana is called nirma

Story - What Is True Courage?

A story told by Swami Vivekananda to illustrate what is true courage. There are two sorts of courage. One is the courage of facing the cannon. And the other is the courage of spiritual conviction. An Emperor who invaded India was told by his teacher to go and see some of the sages there. After a long search for one, he found a very old man sitting on a block of stone. The Emperor talked with him a little and became very impressed by his wisdom. He asked the sage to go to his country with him. ‘No’, said the sage, ‘I am quite satisfied with my forest here.’ Said the Emperor, ‘I will give you money, position, wealth. I am the Emperor of the world.’ ‘No,’ replied the man. ‘I don’t care for those things.’ The Emperor replied, ‘If you do not go, I will kill you.’ The man smiled serenely and said, ‘That is the most foolish thing you have ever said, Emperor. You cannot kill me. Me the sun cannot dry, fire cannot burn, sword cannot kill, for I am the birthless, the deathl