Trembling of the body during pranayama is known as kampana. This is experienced by a practitioner of yoga in two different ways. Patanjali has mentioned in Yoga Sutra (I.31) five situations which arise in the wake of the nine obstacles on the path of Yoga. They are – pain, mental dejection due to frustration of desire, trembling of the body, forcible inspirations and forcible expirations. The trembling of the body parts caused by lack of stability is a situation which puts an obstacle in the practice of posture for sitting in meditation. To overcome all these five situations Sage Patanjali has recommended the practice of pinpointedness (Yoga Sutra I.32). The other way of experiencing trembling is associated with prolonged practice of pranayama. It is described in Hatha Yoga Pradipika (II. 11-12). It is recommended by Swatmarama that a sincere student who wants to derive the full benefits of pranayama should practice it four times each day. And at each sitting one should pra

The four means to the attainment of the wisdom of the self as per Vedanta are: Nitya Anitya Vastu Viveka  Discrimination between things permanent and transient: ‘Brahman alone is the permanent substance and that all things other than it are transient.’ Iha Amutra Phala Bhoga Viragah Renunciation of the enjoyment of the fruits of actions in this world and hereafter, such as immortality. ‘And as here on earth, whatever has been acquired by exertion perishes, so perishes whatever is acquired for the next world by sacrifices and other good actions performed on earth.’ Six treasures, Shama Adi Shat Sampattih The six treasures are: Shama , the curbing of the mind from all objects except hearing of scriptures, thinking of their meaning and meditating on it. Dama is the restraining of the external organs of action and knowledge from all objects except hearing, and the like. Uparati is the restraining of the mind from drifting back to the pursuit of the objects of the se

A person having Saraswati Yoga, as the name itself suggests, will be intelligent. Saraswati Yoga is given in standard classical books on Hindu astrology, such as Phaladeepika by Mantreswara in adhyaya VI on 26 th and 27 th shlokas (verses). When Jupiter, Venus, and Mercury occupy the houses 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10 of the horoscope jointly or separately, this yoga occurs. Jupiter must be in his own, friendly or exaltation signs. Thus, Jupiter must be powerful in Rashi. The result of this yoga is that the person becomes famous and learned in all sciences/skills, is praised by all, and has a good wife and offspring. Thus Mercury, Jupiter, and Venus must occupy kendras 9(1, 4, 7, and 10) or trikonas (5,9). If all these three planets are strong, the yoga will be more powerful. For weak Venus or Mercury, it will be less powerful, and the results will be ordinary. For weak Jupiter, the yoga becomes defunct and the results are not seen. The planets Venus and Mercury in signs Tauru

To please Lord Shiva and learn the science of immortality, Shukracharya performed intense austerities. Shiva told Shukracharya that all that is born will perish one day. Guru Shukra was the Guru of demons or Asuras. The Maharishi then demanded Shiva to teach him the Sanjivani Vidya, which can cure any diseases, wounds, and thus bring back a dead person to life. Shiva, who is the lord of herbs and medicine, taught Shukracharya the Sanjivani Vidya. Shukracharya then used the science to revive dead demons who were killed in battle with the demigods. Thus, Devas, or demigods, lost all battles against the demons. There was chaos in the universe. Adharma was propagated by the demons. Lord Brahma then complained to Shiva about the cosmic imbalance. Shiva promised to find a solution. In the next battle between the Devas and Asuras, a strange looking creature appeared on the battlefield. It was the demoness Kritya. She sucked Shukracharya into her body. Shukracharya re

A collection of quotes on friendship from Hindu religious texts. May all beings look upon me with the eye of a friend; may I look upon all beings with the eye of a friend; may we regard on one another with the eye of a friend. (Yajur Veda, 36.18) One who makes no distinction of self and other with regard to [one’s] person and possessions, who regards all beings with an even eye and is tranquil of mind, is indeed the best of the godly. (Bhagavata Purana, 11.2.52) Learn to make the whole world your own. No one is a stranger, my child; this whole world is your own. (Sri Sarada Devi) Friendship is one of the nine forms of Bhakti or devotion as told by Prahlada, the ardent devotee of Vishnu.  The real friendship is like fluorescence, it shines better when everything has darken. (Rabindranath Tagore). While chanting the name of the Lord one should earn Divine wealth. The divine wealth to be earned are kindness, nonviolence, freedom from lust, truth, equality, equanimi