Category Archives: ADVAITA & YOGA

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Mother Divine: The Supreme Goddess

. ADVAITA & YOGA, ART & POETRY . , , ,

When I was very young, my meditations made me soar so high that I was afraid of falling and felt anxious. In those moments the most gentle and angelic female presence firmly held me from behind and guided my flights over celestial regions like a mother showing a child how to ride a bicycle. It happened often.

This angel was always behind me at my back holding my shoulders in the most reassuring manner. Gliding over the heavenly realms of light with this divine companion was pure joy.  But I could never see her face and wondered who she was.

Who was this motherly angel who manifested in my meditations to protect me from fears? Who was this being that embraced me with such tenderness and silently guided and navigated the path?

This went on for many years. She was my guardian angel. Where she came from, I don’t know.

As time went by and I got older, I felt her less and less often. Perhaps I had matured in some ways and did not need her. I don’t know the psychology of it. Still, I did not forget her.

She was very real to me at a young age and  always seemed to be around especially in contemplative and meditative states. Her form was that of a gentle motherly presence. It was absolutely unmistakable. Whenever she came, I knew it instantly just like a newborne knows his mother by smell.  Who was she and where had she gone, I thought at times.

Many many years passed. I was much older now. I was 39.  One midnight, I lay down for meditation. Without warning, suddenly, she appeared in full bloom right before me. For the first time, I saw Her with the utmost clarity. She was the epitome of purity and innocence and the very essence of beauty. Her Being radiated bright blessings.

Speechless I gazed at Her face and spontaneously folded my hands in “Namaste” with reverence and bowed slightly. Through Her eternal and watchful eyes that see  into the Heart, the Supreme Goddess looked at me intently with tenderness and smiled sweetly. Then she disappeared.

Note: The Supreme Goddess did not look like any of the pictures that artists have drawn and are found in Hinduism.  I have chosen to describe Her by accurately stating, “She was the epitome of purity and innocence and the very essence of beauty.” Those words are the truth. 

Harsh K. Luthar

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Simple Seated Twist: By Christine Wushke

. Advaita and Yoga . , ,

This pose is recommended for intermediate students. While the spinal twist is very gentle, sitting in hero pose can be difficult for beginning students. If you would like to try this pose, and you are a beginning student, follow steps 2 – 6 sitting on a chair, instead of the blocks.

* This pose in not recommended for pregnancy, arthritis in the spine, or degenerated disks in the spine.

simple twist props B&W

Get 4 foam blocks, and 2 yoga bricks, or some folded blankets, and some pillows. You will need to experiment with the right height for you, so have ample props nearby, it is better to have more than enough.

1. Hero pose: Sit with your back straight, and your sit bones on a stack of blocks or folded blankets. Place your feet straight back making sure your knees are pointing straight forward. You may have to adjust your calf muscles so that they are in a comfortable position when sitting.

simple twist 1 B&W Check that there is no discomfort on your knees or hips. If there is, then adjust your height so that you are sitting on more blankets, or blocks. Take time to experiment with the amount of blocks or blankets you are using, so you are completely comfortable. If you are not comfortable in this position, follow along with steps 2 – 5 sitting in a chair.

2. Straighten your spine, so that you are sitting as tall as possible. Move your shoulder blades down your back. (As if you are placing your shoulder blades in your back pockets.) Lift your chest up.

3. Very slowly twist your spine until you feel a stretch in your back. As soon as you feel a stretch, stop. Lift your chest, and move the shoulder blades down. Stay here until you feel the stretch diminish. Breathe evenly, and into the belly.

simple twist B&W

4. After you feel the stretch diminish twist a little bit more, until you feel a stretch in your back again. Stop here. Lift your chest, move your shoulder blades down. Look over your shoulder, keeping your neck nice and loose.

5. Hold the pose as long as you are comfortable, doing your belly breathing.

6. Remember to use your intuition, the best yoga teacher you will ever find is your own body.

Benefits ~ Tones and strengthens the muscles in the back, helps diminish muscle tension in the back, keeps the joints in the spine more mobile, tones and detoxifies internal organs, cleanses the colon, detoxifies the liver.


Ab0ut Christine Wushke

Christine Wushke is a yoga and meditation teacher with over 15 years of experience. Her aim is to create a sacred space for students to effortlessly find the presence of stillness and an inner silence. Christine’s mission is to raise consciousness on the planet by empowering people to realize their own Divinity and to uncover a deep peace within. Christine is committed to assisting you in your journey, and helping you to realize directly for yourself the truth of what you are, and the stillness of truth within.

Christine’s meditations, and yoga articles will guide you to deepen your understanding of the wisdom within this ancient practice and experience the spiritual elements of yoga.

http://www.innerlightyoga.blogspot.com
http://www.journeytolight.net

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Call of the Conch-Part 1: By Joyce Sweinberg

. Advaita and Yoga, HEALTH & NUTRITION, INSPIRATIONAL . , , ,

 

WARNING:  THE  STILL AND VIDEO IMAGES IN THIS ARTICLE
ARE GRAPHIC DEPICTIONS OF VIOLENCE TO DAIRY COWS.

  5972_217788405374_215886190374_7850084_1398980_n 5972_217788400374_215886190374_7850083_3230150_n 5972_217804335374_215886190374_7850612_5256181_n

Lord Sri Krishna vividly describes the three types of foods,
Sattvic, Rajasic and Tamasic. Milk in the olden days was definitely Sattvic.
However now it is 100% Tamasic due to the abundant violence and abuse it entails.
Drinking such milk is equal to eating beef. In fact the animals raised for meat
do not have to suffer so much as these unfortunate dairy cows are made to suffer.

~Shri Kamlesh

In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, Ahimsa (nonviolence) is considered the first principle of the spiritual life. Ramana Maharshi, the great sage of Arunachala has clearly stated, “Ahimsa Param Dharma”. Translated this means that nonviolence is the supreme religion… My friends, in order to gain peace, one has to give peace to others. This is the universal law as described and explained by the doctrine of karma. What we give to others, we give to ourselves. If we are able to learn this lesson by heart, it will influence our actions in this world. It is not an easy lesson at all.Nonviolence is the most beautiful expression and manifestation of the unconditioned recognition of the Nature of Reality. This is our conviction. This ideal is our aspiration. As many times as we fall, we get up and stand on the foundation of nonviolence as our nature. ~Dr. Harsh K. Luthar

                                      https://luthar.com/ahimsa-and-self-realization-by-dr-harsh-k-luthar

Can you hear her crying?

There was a time, a time when the dairy cow was nurtured and revered for her milk, when the calf came first and the human after, when she was part of the family, not part of their property. When she lived out her life with decency until the end, even after she no longer produced milk. But that time is long gone, replaced by industry production methods aimed at one goal…profit.  And in that goal, all decency was lost, replaced with the torture, plunder and cruelty of the present milk farms, both here in the US and abroad.

The female dairy cow spends her life confined in close quarters with other cows, being pumped with hormones calculated to produce pregnancy after pregnancy as long as she is capable of bearing calves, both to increase the population of the cows for milk and meat production and to spur the female to produce more milk. when her calves are born, they are taken from her within a few days of birth, giving rise to the grief of separation for both the mother and the child. (This and the fate of her calves will be the subject of its own article)  Her body knows no rest, either from pregnancy, the drugs used to induce pregnancy and milk production,  or the milking machines which relentlessly squeeze the very life out of her, slowly and painfully.  This relentless assault on her body frequently causes her to develop mastitis, an extremely painful condition of the udder, which results in blood and pus accumulating within the infection and often being expelled into the milk.

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 cow10

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The link below graphically depicts the puncture of  an inflamed udder…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqqSeO4vqcw&feature=player_embedded

Although the average life span of the cow can be in the neighborhood of  25 years,  the cow in the milk farm is ready for death after approximately 4-5 years.  By this time, the multiple pregnancies, coupled with the hormones and other drugs pumped into her system have taken their toll.  More often than not, by this time, she can barely walk on her own, either due to excess weight gain from the drugs and/or broken bones and the condition is often referred to as a “downed cow.”  This has significance in the market, as a “downed cow”, by law in most states, is not to be introduced into the slaughterhouse and the meat which is being sold to the ever willing population of meat eaters.  For this is her final destination…once she is no longer useful for bearing calves or bearing milk, she is sent to the slaughterhouse to be butchered and sold as meat.

A note about organic farming is in order. Although the cow may not be confined or treated with antibiotics and other drugs, it is quite likely that she will be impregnated, separated from her offspring and slaughtered in the end.

Even as she approaches her last moments, she is prodded and abused to keep her “up” so she can “walk” past the inspectors and into the knife of the butcher.  The videos in the link below show the cows being hit in the face with sticks, prodded with electric prods, chained to forklifts and dragged just to get them “on their feet.”  Once on the feet, the cow is continually pushed, her tail twisted, electric shocks applied to her, anything to keep her moving and get her into the kill box, where all of this will finally come to an end, and she will be slaughtered. The link below to the Humane Society video, taken undercover at a dairy farm in California, illustrates some of this abuse…

http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/foodlaw/2008/02/horrible-dairy.html

  Abuse is not limited to America…

INSIDE THE INDIAN DAIRY INDUSTRY

“The cows are cramped into these trucks, with no food, water for days these poor exhausted animals are then literally thrown from the trucks on to the ground. Many cows break their legs, and bones and cannot walk, to hoist them to the slaughter house acid is poured into their eyes and noses or their tails are broken. These abuses are wide-spread because of lax laws and corrupt officials and the demand for cheap leather products. Some how when these cows are lead to the slaughter house, the cows are literally hammered by a large hammer on their heads and after they are immobile their necks are slit so that they are bled to death. At least their miserable lives have now finally come to an end. The farmer now gets his money from the dead cow’s flesh and leather and buys a younger cow to continue the cycle.”  ~Shri Kamlesh

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjYA2K7ke0E&feature=player_embedded

 DOWNED COWS

The cows pictured below, either because of broken legs or other diseases affecting them due to the abuse of their bodies in the production of milk, can no longer stand on their own. They are left stranded, unable to move, even to get away from their own excrement, unable to escape the violence which awaits them as they are either “euthanized” or butchered for meat production.

  Many of the images below can be located at http://www.goveg.com/photos_cows.asp
with detailed explanations of the images…

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 Once they are forced up, this is where they end up, along with their male counterparts…

 cow23

  http://www.goveg.com/photos_cows.asp

Having one’s actions grounded in ahimsa for the Lord’s creatures, all of them, calls to our spiritual conscience with the power of the sounding of the conch. The conch, held by Vishnu, the preserver, represents life. When it is sounded, it is the sound of victory, as by Krishna and Arjuna heralding the defeat of the adharmic influences in the battlefield of the mind symbolized in the Holy Gita.  May the adharmic influences inherent in the dairy industry fall to the ground in defeat at the call of the conch.

gita-101

 

 Matkarmakrinmatparamo madbhaktah sangavarjitah;
Nirvairah sarvabhooteshu yah sa maameti paandava.

Whoever works for Me, looking upon Me as the goal;
whoever is My devotee, free from attachments
and from antagonism to any being –
such a one shall enter into Me. (BG 11.55) 

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REFLECTION: By Alan Jacobs

. Advaita and Yoga . ,

On my blank transparent screen, that is pristine
Primordial Consciousness, clear and clean,
Birthless and deathless, I survey the scene.

I sense it has the semblance of a dream.
Technicolour pictures come and go
Endlessly like in a movie show.

All are creations of this sleeper’s mind,
But I am not that body’s brain I find.
Instead I look behind his watchful eyes

And then discover to my vast surprise
That I am that same Consciousness sublime,
Which is One with Love, and is Divine.

Posted on March 12, 2004 by Alan-ji to HarshaSatsangh

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SILENCE: By Alan Adam Jacobs

. Advaita and Yoga

S age serenely sits in Satsang silently,
I magination no longer interferes,
L imitless Love abounds unconditionally,
E ndless eternity pervades ethereally,
N othing impedes the peaceful tranquility,
C onsideration, clarity, and compassion,
E nter the Heart through Grace and bounteous bliss.

First posted by Alan-ji on HarshaSatsangh on March 11, 2004.

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Sage Wisdom: By Alan Adam Jacobs

. Advaita and Yoga, ART & POETRY . , , 
Whoever is awake to the material world
Is fast asleep to the spiritual world.
This wakefulness is far worse than sleep,
When our soul’s asleep to God, it’s a door
Closing, to prevent the entry of His grace.
All day we suffer from a host of fantasies,
Thoughts of loss, gain or degeneration.
For the Soul there is neither joy nor peace
Nor a way of progression heavenwards.
The sleeper has his hope in each vain fancy
And converses idly with these foolish voices.

The bird of the soul flies cheerily on high
While its shadow is speeding upon Earth,
Some fools hasten to chase their  shadow
And rushing hurriedly become exhausted,
Not understanding that it’s a reflection,
Nor knowing from where it originates.

They vainly shoot arrows at this phantom,
His quiver soon empties from the long quest.
The  contents of his worried life become a void,
Time passes in chasing after this grey shadow.
But when God’s shadow becomes a nurse maid.
It saves him from  fantasies and illusion.
God’s shadow is the true servant of God.

Dead to this  world yet living through Him.
Take hold of His hem quickly so your skirt
May also be saved at the end of your days.
Never enter this dark valley of the shadow
Without a guide who’s a true son of God.
Desert the grey shadow, gain the bright Sun
Hold the hem of the orb of Shams Tabriz.

If you don’t know the way to the bridal feast
Enquire into God’s radiance named l’Haqq.
If envy grabs you by the throat on the way
It is Satan who reaches beyond all bounds.
Because from green envy he hates Adam
And he’s at constant war with happiness.

On the way there’s no harder bridge to cross.
Happy is he who hasn’t made envy his friend.
The body is a mansion packed full of hate,
The family and  servants are all tainted.
Yet Almighty God made the body to be pure
So sweep clean His house. The purified heart
Is a true treasure and Earth’s gold talisman.

If you indulge in guile, deceit and envy
Against one who’s without a hint of blame,
Then black stains swell up in your heart.
So rest as dust under the feet of a Sage
Amd scatter the dust on envy’s bald head.

Any fool who mtorments his body is unfit
For comprehending the spiritual life .
The nose catches fragrance leading to truth
That scent is the God revealed religion.
If he’s whiffed this perfume with ingratitude,
It comes and destroys his organ of perception.

Give thanks! Be a slave to those who are grateful,
Be in their presence as one truly steadfast.

Please note that this is a versification I have made from Rumi's Mathnawi
The Complete Literal Translation by Reynard Nicholson 

Alan Jacobs
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Njanappaana by Poonthaanam Numidiri-1

. Advaita and Yoga, ART & POETRY, INSPIRATIONAL . , , , , , , ,

 
translation and commentary by Smt. Savitri Puram 

      duzvdh4anypjffvi_D0_guruvayurappa

Krishna! Krishna! Mukunda! Janaardana!
Krishna! Govinda! Naarayana! Hare!
Achyuthaananda! Govinda! Maadhava! 
Sachidaananda! Naarayana! Hare!

Introduction

Njanappaana can be considered as the Bhagavad Gita of Malayalees. This is a Darshanika kaavyam or philosophical poem expressed in the most simple Malayalam language for ordinary people. Poonthanam Nambudiri, an ardent devotee of Shri Guruvayurappan, transformed his unbearable sorrow from his infant son’s death into a “yogavishesham”. He used this sad experience to build his Bhakthi soudham or house of devotion and opened it for all devotees for all time. Even though the language is very simple, this njaanappana, or song of wisdom deals with the essence of all vedas and upanishads. May Bhagavan Guruvayurappan, Bhagavathy Sarswathi Devi and Sri Poonthaanam Nambudiri bless us to become wiser by going through this great Song of Wisdom!!boarder

Gurunaadhan thuNa chaika santhatham thirunaamangal naavinmel eppozhum
Piriyaatheyirikkanam nammude nara janmam saphalamaakkiduvaan

May my Gurunathan help me (thuna chaika) to keep the auspicious names of Lord continuously on my tongue (naavinmel eppozhum) and to make this human life (narajanmam) meaningful and fruitful!(saphalamaakkituvaan).

The only way to to make the human life fruitful and meaningful is to constantly chant the auspicious names of Lord. So, the poet is seeking the blessings of his Gurunaathan to help him retain the naamam on his tongue for ever. Who is Poonthanam’s Guru?  He is considering Guruvayurappan as his Guru because Lord is both the remover of the darkness of Anjaanam or avidya (Guru) and the protector and saviour of all (Naathan). After innumerable births in lower species,we finally got narajanmam in Kaliyuga. Kalisantharanopanishad and many other scriptures reinforce the importance of naamasankeerthanam in Kaliyuga. Naamasankeerthanam can be done any time anywhere.

Innaleyolam enthennarinjeela Ini naaleyum enthennarinjeela
Innikkanda thadikku vinaashavum Inna neramennaethumarinjeela

We really do not know what happened until yesterday or what would happen tomorrow. Neither we know when this body we see today will perish.

When we look at the literal meaning, we may feel like responding: “I know what happened until yesterday and I can roughly guess what will happen in the coming days. I am hail and healthy and unless I get into an accident or so I should be able to live many more years”.

Poonthaanam is putting his forefinger on his nose with an expression of “what a pity?” because he meant much more than the literal meaning of yesterday, tomorrow and our present body. He persuades us to think deep about the uncertainty of life. Yesterday and today also means previous janmaas and future janmaas. We do not know about our previous janmaas or good and bad karmaas we have accumulated. A great part of our good and bad experiences in this janma is the direct result of our past karmaas. We cannot undo the sins or suffering by anything other than sincere prayers. Bhagavaan is the only one who can change the results of our praarabdha karmaas and in Kaliyuga, naamasankeerthanam pleases Bhagavan more than anything. We do not know what is in store for us tomorrow. How can we make sure that our future is in safe hands? Only by offering ourselves in His strong and kind hands. Then what about today? At present we live in this body and the moment jeevathma leaves the body, it becomes lifeless like a log of wood. We have absolutely no idea when that will happen. Here Poonthaanam used the word “thati” for body to specifically tell us that body is like a log of wood or worse than a log of wood when it is lifeless. A dead body that is not preserved starts deteriorating in a few hours where as a log of wood may remain intact for several months or even years. Poonthaanam advises us to think deep about these truths and use every moment available to worship Lord with naamams. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu also said that there are no hard and fast rules for chanting naamaas. Anytime one can chant and under any circumstances one is allowed to chant. “Shuchir va ashuchir va sarva avasthaasu sarvada” meaning in any condition clean (purified) or dirty (impure) one can chant the auspicious names of Lord.

Kandukandangirikkum janangale  Kandillennu varuthunnathum bhavaan
Randu naalu dinam kondorutthane Thandiletti nadathunnathum bhavaan
Maalika mukaleriya mannante Tholil maaraappu kettunnathum bhavaan

If Bhagavan wishes, those people whom we see today may disappear (may be dead) by tomorrow. Again if Bhagavan decides, with in a few days (two or four days) a healthy man’s dead body may be carried to the funeral pyre. In the same way, by God’s wish, a king sitting in a palace (maalika) can become a beggar with a dirty bag (maaraappu) hanging from his shoulders (tholil).

Poonthaanam explains how transient is our life, wealth, poverty, sorrows and everything that we see in this world. A man walking and having fun this moment can embrace death the next moment. Everything is Lord’s wish! In Kerala, usually a dead body is tied to a wooden ladder or a piece of long wood and carried by relatives (normally by sons) to the funeral pyre. However hail and healthy one may be, when the time decided by Lord approaches, chaitanyam or jeevan disappears leaving the dead body to be carried to the funeral pyre. It can happen any time, in one day, two days or four days (randu naalu dinam kondoruthane). Here Poonthanam used the word “mannan” for king (mannante) because “mannan” also means “drushtan” or “aviveki”. He advises that those people who have money and power should have the vivekam to use both dharmically remembering that they came to this world with nothing and would go from this world with nothing. Bhagavan can take it any moment from anybody.

By Lord Krishna’s blessings, Kuchela or Sudama became wealthy overnight. What about Ravana? He lost everything that he held dear and finally he lost his life too at the hands of Lord Rama. Even if we are destined to go through sufferings due to our past karmaas, surrendering to Lord will lessen the negative effects and lead us to Satgathi. “Bagavan says in Gita: “na hi kalyaanakruth kashchid durgathim thaatha gacchathi” meaning “If you do good, it will definitely lead you to satgathi or protect you from any harm”. Poonthaanam tells this truth from his own experience of the tragic and sudden death  of his infant son.

I have heard several versions of the story. But the following is the one I heard from my parents. Poonthaanam’s son was 5 months old and anna praasham (giving rice for the first time is called “choroonu” in Malayalam and usually it is done either the 5th month or 7th month ) ceremony was fixed. He invited several relatives and that morning after feeding the baby his wife made a bed in the room next to the hall where the ceremony was to be conducted. Usually there will be an entrance to that room from the kitchen also. Baby was sleeping and his wife was busy with all the preparations. It was morning and one namboothiri lady finished her bath and put the wet clothes in the same room where the baby was sleeping. That room was dark even during day time and she did not see the baby and unfortunately wet clothes were put on the baby’s face. ( I can very well believe this because in my house, there is a room on the north side called Vatakkini which is very dark even in day time. So when our parents told us this story, we listened with tears in our eyes and we felt it could happen in any Nambudiri house.) Then the next lady came after bath and seeing the wet clothes in a corner she also put hers on the top of it. One after another a few ladies unknowingly put wet clothes on  and around the baby. Nobody noticed and it was about muhurttham time and Poonthaanam asked his wife to bring the baby. She was shocked to see what happened to her helpless baby and we can imagine the rest.

This sorrow gave birth to Njanappana and Poonthaanam advises us to realize the uncertainty of everything in this world and persuades us to think of God by continuous chanting of His auspicious names.

Kandaal ottariyunnu chilarithu Kandaalum thiriyaa chilarkkethumae
Kandathonnumae sathyam allennathu Mumbe kandangariyunnithu chilar

Some people see this truth, understand it or internalize the truth. But some people cannot comprehend the truth even when they see it everyday. But there are some others who know that all that they see are not real and it is all Maaya.

Here Poonthaanam divides humans into three categories. Utthama purushaas (or wise people or perfect human beings) are able to understand the transient nature of this world. People like Shankaraacharyar, Sreeraamakrishna Paramahasar are examples who belong to this category. Then there are Madhyama purushaas (or reasonably wise people) who understand it when they themselves or people near, dear and around them experience the ups and downs of life. Then the third category of people known as Adhama Purushaas (people with low level of wisdom) do not understand or even do not have the attitude to think more about it even if they or their beloved ones go through the negative as well as the positive experiences including successes, death, suffering and disease. Yudhishtira Maharaj says to the Yaksha who asks ” what is the biggest wonder in the world?”

Even though everybody who is born embraces death eventually, the living people refuse to believe that death will eventually embrace them also. What is more surprising than this? Even though we see it everyday we live as if death is only for somebody else.

Again Poonthanam indirectly tells us that only with Bhagavan’s blessings we can have this vivekam or power of discrimination. So we should pray Bhagavan to include us in that category of few people (the word “chilar” indicates that these kind of people are rare) who are capable of seeing the truth. In this Kaliyuga, the most doable form of worship is naamasnakeerthanam and he encourages everybody to chant auspicious names to purify our mind and elevate ourselves from the state of Adhama Purushas to the state of Uttama Purushas.

Palarkkum ariyenam ennittallo
Pala jaathi parayunnu saasthrangal

Many people (palarkkum) want to know (ariyenam)about all these (including the power of discrimination of human beings, about the mystery of God, how to go beyond Maya and attain salvation etc) and hence so many saasthraas (saathrangal) tells (parayunnu) about or explain these subjects in so many different ways (pala jaathi).

Which saasthra or which philosophy appeals to each one depends on each individual’s nature, attitude and circumstances. Some people like certain approach whereas others like a totally different approach. Saathraas contain so many different philosophies to satisfy the varied interests of ordinary people. Just like we all choose different professions or jobs for the sole purpose of survival, different people accept different saasthraas to advance spiritually and increase the awareness of parmaathma chaithanyam or God. There are Vaishnavaas, Shaivaas, Shaaktheyaas or another group who worship all 33 million gods alike etc. Goal is the same and only paths are different. There is a saying that “vitthamaeva param nrunaam janmaachaarakalodaya:” meaning people choose different ways and methods for the sole purpose of acquiring wealth.

Outwardly each and every philosophy may appear different, but once the essence is understood, the differences slowly disappear and all the paths unite to become one path. The word Saasthraas (saathrangal) is used because they advise to follow certain restrictions and rules to advance smoothly in the spiritual path. How is it possible to choose the right path and who will guide us through? Poonthanam has only one solution: chant the auspicious names of God and He will guide us through the right path.

Karmathiladhikaari janangalkku
Karma saasthrangalundu palavidham
Saankhya saasthrangal yogangal enniva
Sankhyayillyathu nilkkatte sarvavum

For those people (janangalkku) who are authorized to do karmaas like yaaga or yanja, homam, poojaas etc (karmaathil adikaari- it can even mean those who desire to do karmaas or those who are entrusted with the duty of performing karmaas) several different (palavidham) karma saashtraas are available (karma saasthrangalundu). Saankhya saasthra, yoga saasthra etc are among the innumerable or countless(sankhyayillya) saasthraas available. But for the time being, let us keep aside ( nilkkatte) all of them (athu sarvavum)

Just like the diversity of the world and its inhabitants, saasthraas also are diverse. Different types of yanjaas, poojaas, and homams are described very clearly in many scriptures. Initially even though devotees perform them with some specific desire, as the Bhakthi bhaavam matures, Bhagavan’s blessings help them to do Nishkaama karma or do karma with out expecting anything in return. There is a small conversation between Jabali Muni and a vartthaka or business man called Thulaadhaara. Even though Jabaali Muni was an embodiment of kindness, he was proud of his achievements and considered himself as the greatest Dharmishttan. Then he heard an ‘ashareeri” or wise words from God to visit Thulaadhaara. He visited him and Thulaadhaara explains to him how we all should do our swadharmam with out expecting anything in return. Thulaadhaara told him that Yanjaas and poojaas are done to show our gratitude to God, Forefathers, Rishis and other Maahaathmaas for what blessings they  have already bestowed on us. Renunciation of the results of the karma is nishkaama karma  and Nishkaama karma purifies our mind. God’s chaithanyam gets reflected only in pure minds.

Maharshi Kapila’s Saankhya philosophy regards Universe as consisting of two eternal realities Purusha and Prakriti. Pathanjali Maharshi’s yoga saasthra describes different types of yogas like Hatha yoga, Raja Yoga etc. They all lead one to the knowledge of Brahmam, but those paths are very difficult and with out an able Guru (in every sense of the word) it is impossible to follow those paths. But in this Kaliyuga, Bhaktha Kavi Poonthaanam advises us to set aside those difficult paths (which are as sharp and dangerous as the edge of a razor) and follow the most simple and enjoyable path of Bhakthi or devotion. What is the first and final step in the path of devotion? Naamasankeerthanam. Bhakthi starts with Naamam and ends with Naamam. It is for ordinary people as well as for self realized souls. No question of whether you are authorized, whether you have enough knowledge to pursue or whether you have the right comes into question in this way of worshipping Lord. Anybody can do naamajapam, anytime, anywhere. 

 

Krishna! Krishna! Mukunda! Janaardana!
Krishna! Govinda! Naarayana! Hare!
Achyuthaananda! Govinda! Maadhava! 
Sachidaananda! Naarayana! Hare!

Part One…To be continued…

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Is There Now A Choice But To Love? By Dr. Harsh K. Luthar

. Advaita and Yoga, ART & POETRY . , ,

We are like candle lights
shining on each other
warming the air around us.

And wherever the wind of change
placed our flame
we would not do anything different.

Those whom life has broken
hear the unspoken truth
always from the Heart.

Is there now a choice
but to love
even if silently.

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First, The Lightning: By Dr. Harsh K. Luthar

. Advaita and Yoga, ART & POETRY . , , ,

First, the lightning,
then the lightening,
follows the OM of thunder!

Shattered, scattered
who can put together
pieces of space.

No point in trying
and asking why
all the atoms are dancing.

As if they hear nothing
but love songs
written for you.

Bhagavan Ramana

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Self-Realization According to Ramana: By Dr. Harsh K. Luthar

. Advaita and Yoga . ,

The following is a summary of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi’s teaching on the Self.

Self-Realization cannot be described because Self can never be an object of perception.  The Self  is always the subject. The Ultimate Subject.  When the mind is temporarily absorbed in the Heart, the Self is known with immediacy as the eternal presence. That is called Kevala Nirvikalpa Samadhi.

However, even after having attained Nirvikalpa Samadhi, the mind has the tendency to sprout up again with its conditioned habits due to the force of karma (previous tendencies). Hence the need for awareness and practice of reflective inquiry continues.

When the mind is completely resolved in the Heart, the Self naturally and spontaneously dominates in all states of consciousness (waking, sleeping, super-conscious). That is known as Sahaj Samadhi or the natural state. In this state, the karma that has started to bear fruition will continue until the end of the body. The former conditioning might still manifest in the sage but loses its fundamental hold to create new karmic forces for the future.

Sri Ramana describes Self-Realization below.

“The state we call realisation is simply being oneself, not knowing anything or becoming anything. If one has realised, he is that which alone is, and which alone has always been. He cannot describe that state. He can only be That. Of course we loosely talk of Self-Realisation for want of a better term.”

Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi

Bhagavan Ramana

Bhagavan Ramana