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Showing posts from August 10, 2020


Story Of Shuka Deva And Janaka

Shuka Deva, son of Sage Vyasa, was light and wisdom and he was pure being. But the fatherly love of Sage Vyasa used to bring Shuka Deva out of his blissful state into the transient world. On one such occasion, Shuka Deva asked his father what he had to offer him in the way of knowledge. Vyasa at once realized that he was in the presence of a great sage. Recognizing his inability to offer his son anything, he spoke of King Janaka, great in learning and wisdom. Janaka became aware of Shuka Deva's intention to visit him and at once made plans to test the boy. The palace guards rudely refused him admission, but Shuka Deva bore the humiliation and waited for three days and nights outside the palace walls. At last King Janaka himself came with his courtiers to receive the young saint. The face of Shuka Deva was as calm as before. He was the same whether he was scorned or praised. A banquet was prepared in his honor with heavenly delights around him. There was music, there was dancin

Egoless Living In Hinduism

How can one act at all without ego? Will life bloom in all its fullness only when one's life is egoless? These are some of the doubts and fears which arise and from time immemorial the great seers of Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism) have answered these doubts and quelled the fears. Egoless life is outside the sphere of our experience. Action without the actor, a mind without sloth, and outward movement, are unknown to us and therefore we fear the logical consequence of the pursuit of self-enquiry resulting in the 'loss' of the mind in the Self. Sri Ramana Maharshi assures that in this death of the mind or ego is the birth of true life. In an egoless state one is born anew in a totally different dimension in which the fountain of joy endlessly overflows. One is, as it were, inundated by it. There is constant renewal, a totality of perception, and perfection in action. What does egoless living really mean? What is the birth and death of the ego? The rising of the I-thought of

Vishaya In Hindu Philosophy

Vishaya loosely means object and in Hindu philosophy it is the term used to define all creations of this universe. Vishya is associated with both living and nonliving things. As per Hinduism, Panchamahabutas or the five elements (sky, air, fire, water and earth) create all the things available in this world. Out of these five elements, Mayashakti or the imaginary effect of the supreme power, has created the sky (akasha). From the sky, vayu (air) was born. From the air, tejas (fire) was born. Fire energy gave birth to water, and from water earth was formed. The eternal substances in which visheshas inhere are the atoms of the first four substances, namely earth, water, light and air. Each of these five elements individually is called tanmatra. All the five should be mixed in a proper way to give an achit rupa. With the entry of ‘chit’ into this, life is introduced. Only then do these mixed bhutas become visible to our sense organs. This mixture is called sthula bhutas meanin

Human Character Defects As Demons Defeated By Ganesha

The numerous demons defeated by Ganesha are in reality imperfections human beings or defects in character of humans. Human beings fail in life when are unable to control the senses and eventually they fail to defeat the various vices. Here is a list of demons (personification of human vices) defeated by Ganesha. Uncontrolled Lust was subdued by Ganesha in his Vikata form. Anger – demon Krodha – subdued by Lambodara form of Ganesha Avarice or greed – demon Lobha – subdued by Gajanana form of Ganesha Infatuation and delusion – demon Moha – defeated by Mahodara form of Ganesha Vanity – demon Mada – defeated by Ekadanta Ganesha Envy and jealousy – demon Mata – Vakratunda form of Ganesha riding a lion defeated the demon Attachment of desire – demon Mama – annihilated by Vighnaraja form of Ganesha riding a serpent. Ego and pride – Abhimana – subdued by Dhumravarna. All these flaw in character pushes an individual back into the cycle of birth and death. Ganesha defeat these

Chanting Names Of Vishnu – Importance And Benefits

Chanting a single name or 108 names or 1008 names of Lord Vishnu is of great importance in Hinduism. One who praises Lord Vishnu with his names will overcome all sorrow. The name of Vishnu is equal to the gift of ten million cows (Mahabharata 12.135.6; Stotranava, Vishnu Purana 15.5). The repetition of any or all of the names, both with or without rosary, constitutes an important part of daily worship and is considered to be highly meritorious. These names are based on guanas or attributes (Mahabharata 12.135.13a) The devotees of Shiva eulogize the one thousand and eight epithets of Shiva (Mahabharata 13.17). The devotees of Vishnu eulogize the one thousand epithets (Mahabharata 12.135), which are popularly known as Vishnu Sahasranama Stotra. Adi Shankaracharya’s commentary is available on this. This is a dialogue between Bhishma and Yudhisthira in the Anusasana Parva. It consists of 142 shlokas excluding thirteen shlokas at the beginning and 22 at the end, the remainin

Sri Ramana Maharshi Explains The Term Upadesha

The term upadesha is of great significance in Hinduism and Sri Ramana Maharshi explains it. The term ‘upadesha’ literally means restoring an object nearest to its true and proper place. The mind of the disciple having become differentiated from its true and primal state of Pure Being, or the Self, which the scriptures describe as Sat Chit Ananda, Being Consciousness Bliss, slips away from it and, assuming the form of thought, ever runs after the objects of sense gratification. Thus, the mind gets buffeted and battered by the vicissitudes of life and becomes weak and dispirited. Now, Upadesa, or spiritual instruction, consists in the Master restoring the mind of the disciple to its primal state and effectively preventing it from slipping away from the state of Pure Being, of absolute identity with the Self, or, in other words, the spiritual Being of the Master. The term ‘upadesa’ may also be understood as presenting an apparently distant object to one’s near view; i.