Blog posts of '2017' 'August'

In Hindu religion, there is thousands of God and Goddesses are represented in every aspect of life. Among those Supremes, Maa Saraswati is known as the goddess of knowledge, art and music. As she is called as the mother of Vedas, she is referred as Vak Devi, the goddess of speech. According to Hinduism Saraswati endows human being with the power of speech, wisdom and learning. She is also known as a part of the trinity devis. In the Hindu traditions from the Vedic period to modern times, she is also worshiped outside the Hindu country India and Nepal.

The goddess is believed to have emerged from Brahma’s mouth in order to commence the existence of world and the humans that reside in it.
Goddess Saraswati is seen in white colored and wearing radiant white saree that shows her pure sattvic nature. She carries the vina, which symbolizes the vibrational harmony of life. She holds the Vedas and a japamala which symbolizes constant meditation upon the divine name. She is also shown having four hands that represents the four aspects of human personality in learning- mind, intellect, alertness and ego.

A white swan is located next to goddess Saraswati’s feet. According to Hindu tradition, the swan represents discrimination between the good and bad. Basant panchami is celebrated on the fifth lunar day of magha, which is between the month of January and February. The students worship maa saraswati to perform well in their studies. The saraswati vandana should chant in this occasion to improve memory, power and concentration in studies.

Saraswati also stands in yoga as the sushumna channel through which the kundalini energy may rise upwards. By breath control, the solar and lunar energies are merged into the neutral kundalini energy. The lunar and solar energy symbolizes the river Ganga and Yamuna where the central neutral channel symbolizes saraswati. The upward flow of kundalini through the saraswati channel then pierces the chakra and being liberation.

For the establishment of Dharma and destruction of evil spirits on earth, Lord Vishnu has been taking several incarnations. According to the Hindu mythology, “Shree Ram” is the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The whole life of Shree Ram is a great example of humanity. Though Shree Ram was the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, he did not use his supernatural powers anywhere. He spent his whole life like a common person and a caring king.

Shree Ram was born in the royal dynasty of Ayodhya. He was the son of king “Dasharatha” and queen “Koushalya”. He was very dearer to Dasharatha as he was the most humble and obedient prince of Ayodhya. He had three cousins named as Laxmana, Bharata and Shatrughna. He spent his childhood in Ayodhya with full of joy and completed his education under the guidance of his teacher sage “Vashistha”. He married “Sita” after the completion of his education. The crucial challenging phase of his life started after the announcement of his father to make him the king of Ayodhya. Being influenced by a jealousy, his half mother “Kaikei” demanded fourteen years of exile for Shree Ram from Dasharatha as Dasharatha had promised to fulfill a wish of Kaikei in the past.

           

 In order to keep the promise of his father, Shree Ram decided to go for exile without any hesitation. Laxmana and Sita joined him and left Ayodhya for exile. During exile Shree Ram and Laxmana killed many demons that were hampering the holy sages. Shree Ram placed a great example of devotion by accepting the tasted berries of the tribal lady “Shabari”. With this example, he in true devotion, faults are not considered. Shree Ram was very loyal to his wife Sita. So “Surpanakha” (the sister of Ravana) could not seduce him. Shree Ram refused the marriage proposal of Surpanakha and in anger when demon king “Ravana” kidnapped “Sita”, then another crucial phase of the life of Shree Ram began. In order to find Sita, he moved towards south along with Laxmana. He met Hanuman, Sugriba and helped Sugriba as a true friend. Hanuman helped Shree Ram in every possible ways to find Maa Sita. After Shree Hanuman discovered Maa Sita in Lanka (now Sri Lanka), the huge Indian Ocean was the great barrier for the monkey army Shree Ram to reach Lanka. The name “Ram” was so powerful that, the stones on which this name was written, started floating on water and by virtue of which the great “Ramasetu” was made. 

After the monkey army reached Lanka, Shree Ram sent Hanuman as a messenger of peace to Ravana. But he tried to attack Hanuman with fire on his tail. Shree Hanuman destroyed almost all the Lanka with fire except the royal palace of Ravana. Then a terrific war began between Shree Ram and Ravana. All the sons and brothers of Ravana were killed in the war. Only “Bibhishana” (the younger brother of Ravana), being by the side of Dharma was safe. Bibhishana had surrendered at Shree Ram and expressed his devotion towards Lord Vishnu. Shree Ram rescued Maa Sita after killing Ravana and crowned Bibhishana as the king of Lanka.

When Shree Ram returned to Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile, the citizen of Ayodhya started doubting on the character of Maa Sita as she was in the prison of demon king Ravana. So, Shree Ram had to order his beloved wife to undergo a fire test in order to prove her purity and Maa Sita succeeded in the test. Then Shree Ram was crowned as the king of Ayodhya. He was very caring and affectionate towards the citizen. His kingdom was otherwise known as “Ramarajya” for his unconditional love towards each and every individual.

           

In many museums, temples, restaurants and esoteric shops we see the dancing figure of lord Shiva within a circle of fire that is called the “Shiva Nataraja,” lord of the dance. In his appearance as Nataraja he shows his triple role as creator, preserver and destroyer. Shiva in this figure first appeared in Indian stone temple sculpture in the 5th and 6th century CE. The God is shown dancing with in a prabhamandala (flaming halo) which represents time and which is shown as a circle to symbolize the Hindu belief that is both cyclical and without end.

The dance form performing in nataraja image is “Tandava,” the cosmic dance. The energy and wildness of the dance is shown in his bent knees and the extravagant spreading of the god’s hair. Shiva is providing his own music, as in his upper right hand he holds a small damru which provides rhythm and first sounds of the creation. On the left hand he holds Agni the supreme fire which will destroy the world. The lower right hand makes the abhaya mudra gesture which calms all fear and lower left arm sweeps across his torso with the hand pointing to his left foot in the gesture of gaja hasta which means the salvation and liberation. Shiva’s right foot stands upon the demon “Apasmara” the embodiment of ignorance. The cobra around nataraja’s waist is kundalini Shakti the soul impelling cosmic power resident within all.

The Nataraja dance isn’t just a symbol, it is taking place within each of us, at the atomic level. Thus lord Shiva in the form of Nataraja clears the ignorance from our minds through the supreme act of dance. It is a message that ignorance can only be overcome by knowledge, music and dance.

If we go through the great Indian mythology and search for a perfect ideal for devotion and loyalty, then a name called as “Shree Hanuman” will come for sure. It is believed that, when Lord Vishnu was incarnated as Mohini (a beautiful lady) in order to kill a demon, then Lord Shiva was too much attracted by the beauty of “Mohini”. As a result of this, a powerful soul was formed. Latter, “Pawan Dev” placed that soul in the womb of “Anjani”, the queen of “Keshari”. In the previous birth, Anjani was a celestial lady. Due to a curse, she was born in the monkey race in the next birth. Lord Hanuman was the son of Anjani and Keshari. As Pawan Dev placed his soul in the womb of his mother, he is also known as “Pawanputra Hanuman”.

When the parents of Shree Hanuman started searching a perfect teacher for him, then God “Sun” was chosen as the best one. After finishing his learning, Shree Hanuman asked God Sun to demand any repay from him. And as per the instruction of God Sun , Shree Hanuman helped “Sugriba” throughout his lifetime. Because Sugriba was the son of God Sun. Shree Hanuman remained constantly by the side of Sugriba all the time.

Without Shree Hanuman, the whole “Ramayana” would be incomplete and impossible. Each and every important events of Ramayana was completed by the help of Lord Hanuman. Lord Shree Ram met Shree Hanuman after Ravana had kidnapped Maa Sita. Shree Hanuman is a great devotee of Lord Shree Ram. Shree Hanuman was the only person of the army of Shree Ram, who was able to jump the whole Indian Ocean Sea and reach at Lanka with a single jump. He discovered Maa Sita in Lanka (Now Sri Lanka) and told all the information of Shree Ram. He was blessed with the power of immortality by Maa Sita there. Then he destructed almost all the Lanka except the royal palace of Ravana with fire and showed the demons the power of the name “Shree Ram”.

Again during the war between Shree Ram and Ravana, Laxman was severely injured by Meghanada (the most powerful son of Ravana) and he could only be cured by the application of holy “Sanjeevani” leaves. And the Sanjeevani trees were situated in the ancient Himalayas. Shree hanuman rushed towards the Himalayas and without recognizing the Sanjeevani trees, he moved the whole Sanjeevani Mountain to Lanka. And Laxman was cured by the application of Sanjeevani. When “MahiRavana” kidnapped Shree Ram and Laxman and kept them in Patal Lok secretly, then Shree Hanuman was the only person, who was able to rescued Shree Ram and Laxman from Patal Lok.

Both Ganesh and Kartikeya are the two sons of lord Shiva and Devi Parvati. Kartikeya is the elder son and Ganesh is the younger son. Kartikeya killed many demons like Narakasura, Gajasura and known as the lord of war. He is the chief commander of the army of Gods. Kartikeya gets his name from the 6 kritikas who brought him up and consequently has 6 heads.
Valli and Devasena are two wives of Kartikeya. Kartikeya is worshiped more in south India where as Ganesh is worshiped all over India.

On the other hand Ganesh is having supreme place. In Hindus no religious work is completed without the name of shree Ganesh. Ganesh is blessed by Lord Shiva to be worshiped as Vigneshwer, removes all obstacles. 

One day the devas gave a supreme fruit to lord Shiva and Parvati and told that who will eat it, will get the supreme knowledge. Both the brothers wanted to eat it, so this lead to an argument among them. So Shiva told them that who will circle the world for three times and came first will get the fruit. Then Kartikeya took his challenge and started his journey with his vahana peacock without wasting his time. On the other hand Ganesh knew that he is no matching to Kartikeya to won the race. Ganesh’s vehicle is mouse. So Ganesh knew that with his huge belly and slow moving mouse he never defeat his brother. So he applied his intelligence and started circling his parents three times. By the question of his parents for the reason doing so, he replied that parents are my whole world. Whole world are within his parent, so he is circling the whole world by circling his parents. Lord Shiva and Parvati pleased with his answer and gave him the supreme fruit. From that day Kartikeya felt cheated and leave his parents. Ganesh is declared as the God of wisdom, clever and removal of obstacles.